Box Score | Season Stats
BOSTON - Junior John Curry (Shorewood, Minn.) earned his second shutout of the season and freshmen accounted for eight of 12 points, as the No. 15/16 Boston University men's ice hockey team (12-8-2, 10-6-1 Hockey East) blanked Merrimack College (4-17-2, 1-13-2 Hockey East), 5-0, on Saturday night at Agganis Arena. The victory secured the second-consecutive season and series sweep for the Terriers, after downing Maine last weekend.
BU now boasts a five-game win streak, is 7-1-0 in its last eight outings and moved into a tie with New Hampshire and Providence for second place in Hockey East.
“We’re getting a lot of confidence, that’s for sure,” said BU Head Coach Jack Parker, referring to winning seven of the last eight games. “More importantly, we’re getting points in the league. It’s really bunching up in the top-four spots and that’s good for us – we’re catching up to some teams and putting other teams behind us.”
Setting the tone with a goal less than a minute into the game, the Terriers were up by two by the end of the first period, then added a goal in the second, followed by another pair of tallies in the final 20 minutes for the 5-0 score. Freshman Chris Higgins (Lynnfield, Mass.) had an unassisted goal and added two helpers, while fellow rookies Matt Gilroy (No. Bellmore, N.Y) and Steve Smolinsky (Plymouth, Mass.) each had their first career goal.
Sophomore Pete MacArthur (Clifton Park, N.Y.) scored his third goal in as many games just :49 seconds into the opening frame when freshman Brandon Yip (Maple Ridge, B.C.) set him up for the one-timer on an early power play. After his initial shot was blocked, MacArthur collected the rebound at the right point and sniped it past Warrior goalie Jim Healey.
A stand-up effort by Higgins midway through the period put the Terriers up 2-0. Grabbing the puck from a scuffle in from of his own net, the rookie skated it all the way up the left boards, shifted into the slot, stickhandled past a sprawled Merrimack defender and put it low inside the right post at 10:31. The second BU goal compelled Merrimack to switch out Healey in favor of Patrick Watson for the second night in a row.
Despite a combined total of eight penalties in the second period, including a five-minute major plus game misconduct called on Yip for hitting from behind, neither team converted on the power play, but the Terriers managed to squeeze in an even strength goal for the three-goal cushion. Gilroy shoveled in a loose rebound off a nice shot by freshman John McCarthy (Andover, Mass.) for his first career goal at 7:11.
Senior blueliner Dan Spang (Winchester, Mass.) five-holed a slap shot from the top of the slot at 2:05 of the final frame with a set up from senior co-captain Brad Zancanaro (Trenton, Mich.), followed by Smolinsky’s first-ever goal at 16:54 for the final 5-0 score.
The Terriers outshot the Warriors 34-20 and went 1-for-7 on the power play, while Merrimack was unable to convert on eight man-advantage opportunities.
BU returns to action at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night at cross-town rival Boston College.
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