Box Score

The Terrier hockey team spotted UMass/Lowell a 2-0 lead, came back to tie the game 2-2, only to lose to the host River Hawks, 4-2, in Hockey East action on Friday night (Nov. 10).

The loss dropped B.U.'s overall record to 2-3-1, while the team is 1-2-1 in Hockey East action.

This marked the fourth time in this year's six games that the Terriers spotted their opponent a 2-0 lead as it also happened against RPI, Providence College, and the first Merrimack game. In those four games, the Terriers are now 0-3-1.

What disturbed head coach Jack Parker most about Friday night's game was his team's effort.

"Our lack of intensity was appalling," said the coach. "It was a poor effort on our part tonight. We did not play as hard as we had to.

"The other side of it was that Lowell played harder and put on a better effort than we did," said the coach. What also has Parker concerned is his team's ability to score when it is skating five-on-five. "We just are not generating any offense," said the coach, who watched as his team was outshot, 26-19. "We are limiting the number of shots we are taking.

"Our five-on-five offense has evaporated, and that has me the most concerned," continued Parker. Both Terrier goals were on the power play, as the team connected on 2-of-4 chances. For the season, the Terriers have converted on 7-of-26 for nearly a 27 percent efficiency rating.

Through six games, the team has scored a total of 20 goals, nine of which have come on the power play, while they have scored one shorthanded goal. Thus, the team has scored just 50 percent of its goals via special teams and 50 percent when it is skating at even strength.

In Friday night's UMass/Lowell game, the River Hawks jumped to a 2-0 lead on a pair of power play goals that came within a span of 33 seconds. Kyle Kidney scored the first one at 13:53 of the first period, while Ron Hainsey increased his team's lead to 2-0 at 14:26.

Both goals came off freshman goalie Sean Fields (Edmonton, ALTA). This was Fields' second straight start. Last Saturday night, he blanked Merrimack, 3-0, to become the first Terrier goalie in 11 years to notch a shutout in his collegiate debut.

The Terriers began their comeback before the first intermission.

With his team skating a man up, junior defenseman Pat Aufiero's (Winchester) slap shot from just inside the right point beat UMass/Lowell goalie Jimi St. John, who was screened on the play.

Juniors Chris Dyment (Reading) and Mike Pandolfo (Burlington) earned the assists.

Then, at 5:21 of the second period, Pandolfo evened the score at 2-2 while the Terriers were enjoying another man-advantage. Both Dyment and Aufiero were playing the point. Dyment passed the puck across the blue line to Aufiero who took a slap shot from the point. The puck went behind the UMass/Lowell net and bounced back off the boards. There, Pandolfo collected the puck and slipped it past St. John.

The score remained tied until Dan Fontas gave his team the lead for good at 12:25 of the second period.

Seconds before the score, Fontas took a shot point blank in front of Fields, but the Terrier goalie made the save. Fontas circled back out of the slot and came cutting in from the left faceoff circle. Chris Gustafson saw Fontas coming in behind the Terrier defense and fed him the puck. Fontas was not to be denied by Fields this second time, and the River Hawks had their lead.

Darryl Green scored an insurance goal for UML at 3:52 of the third period when his shot from the top of the right face off circle beat Fields to the glove side.

The Terriers had a couple of late scoring bids, the most notable coming from junior Jack Baker (South Boston). Baker came in alone from the left side only to have St. John poke check the puck away before he could get off a good shot.

The Terriers will try to bounce back on Sunday (November 12th) when they travel to Northeastern for a 7:00 p.m. game.