Terriers Keep Pace In League Standings With Win Over Friars
February 11, 2005 | Men's Ice Hockey
Providence, RI-Four different Terriers scored goals and junior goalie Stephan Siwiec improved to 3-0-1 in his last four starts as the Terrier hockey team skated to a 4-2 win over Providence College in Hockey East action on Friday night, Feb. 11.
The victory improved the Terriers' overall record to 17-10-2, while they kept pace with the University of New Hampshire for second place in the Hockey East standings. Each has 26 points, three less than front-running Boston College. However, New Hampshire, with a 12-3-2 record, has a game in hand over the Terriers, who are 12-4-2.
The victory gave the Terriers a sweep of their three-game season series over the Friars, but all three games were tight to the finish. Last October 22nd, the Terriers edged the Providence, 3-2. That was the same score when the two teams met again on January 29th. And, the score would have been 3-2 for the third time on Friday night had John Laliberte not scored the Terriers' fourth goal into an empty net with just one second showing on the clock.
"In general, I thought we played well tonight," said Terrier head coach Jack Parker after the game. "Providence has been snake bit this year. We were fortunate tonight. The puck bounced for us. You have to give Providence credit, though. They have continued to play hard regardless of their record (7-17-4 overall; 2-12-4 in Hockey East)."
After a scoreless first period in which the Terriers were outshot, 8-5, the Terriers came roaring out in the second period to outshoot Providence, 14-7, and outscore them, 3-1.
B.U. jumped on the scoreboard first just 1:21 into the second period when Brian Ewing scored the first of two power play goals for the Terriers. Kevin Schaeffer, who was at the right point, started the play when he got the puck down low to Brian McConnell. The Terrier captain, who was at the right faceoff circle, slipped the puck over to Ewing who had nothing to shoot at but an empty net.
Just 1:30 later, Matt Radoslovich upped the Terriers' lead to 2-0 when his shot was initially saved by Providence goalie David Cacciola (26 saves). However, the puck trickled off the goalie's pads across the goal line for the score. Both Dan Spang and Ryan Monaghan were credited with assists.
The Friars kept battling and their work paid off when Chris Chaput beat Siwiec down low at the 4:21 mark. Jamie Carroll had the only assist on the goal that made the score, 2-1.
Chris Bourque got the goal back for the Terriers when his rocket shot from the blue line beat Cacciola, who never saw the shot. John Laliberte got the puck out to Bryan Miller at the left point. He passed the puck over to Bourque who one-timed it for the Terriers' second power play of the game at the 5:45 mark of the period.
"When we made it 3-1, we started playing looser and they got tougher," said Parker.
The Friars' effort resulted in a goal by Terry Gajda, with an assist to Chaput, just 1:18 into the third period.
Providence came within a whisker of tying the game with just 38.2 seconds showing on the clock. A penalty to the Friars had just expired when Chaput came off the Providence bench, picked up the loose puck in center ice and came skating in alone on Siwiec. Chaput took a point blank shot, but Siwiec made the save. However, the puck slipped off the goalie's pads and was headed for the goalmouth when Schaeffer came skating over and pushed the puck away just as it was headed for the goal.
In an effort to tie the game, the Friars pulled Cacciola but the moved backfired when Laliberte took a pass from David Van der Gulik at center ice. He carried the puck a few strides before he fired it into the empty net.
Siwiec finished the game with 19 saves to improve his season record to 5-2-1. However, since taking over the starting position from John Curry against the Friars on January 29th, he has a 3-0-1 record along with a 2.21 GAA and a .925 save percentage.
