No. 2/3 BU Visits UConn for Saturday Matinee
November 22, 2014 | Men's Ice Hockey
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Two weeks after skating to a 4-4 tie at Agganis Arena, the No. 2/3 Boston University men's ice hockey and Connecticut meet again for a matinee at the XL Center in Hartford on Saturday (Nov. 22). Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.
The game will be broadcast on Terrier TV since UConn is a fellow CBS College Sports Live partner.
BU will be playing in the state of Connecticut for time first time since a 4-3 overtime win at Yale on Nov. 13, 2001. The Terriers last took the ice at the old Hartford Civic Center in January of 1981 at the Colonial Bank Invitational.
Boston University director of hockey operations and former Hartford Whalers star Scott Young will be returning to his old home. Young, who won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche, made his NHL debut with the Whalers in 1988 and played 197 games for them over four seasons before being traded to the Penguins.
The Terriers and Huskies have just two prior meetings, including the 4-4 draw at Agganis two weeks ago. Last season in the first-ever tilt between the two schools, BU posted a 4-1 home win on Nov. 17, 2013.
The Terriers, who are a perfect 4-0 on the road, are looking to match their best 10-game start since the 2001-02 squad went 8-1-1. A win on Saturday would also allow BU to surpass last season's Hockey East win total of five.
Last night, BU extended its unbeaten streak to four (3-0-1) with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win at home against Maine. The Terriers entered the third period with a 2-0 deficit before getting goals from juniors Ahti Oksanen and Matt Lane. Freshman Jack Eichel scored the overtime winner with an impressive end-to-end power-play rush.
Eichel ranks first in the nation in points per game (1.89) and plus-minus (+14). He also leads all Hockey East players in points (17) and assists (10). He has yet to be held without a point, as he will attempt to become the first Terrier since Nick Bonino in the 2009-10 season to record a 10-game point streak.
Junior goaltender Matt O'Connor has won six of seven starts thus far this season and has allowed only 11 goals. His .947 save percentage and 1.57 goals-against average rank sixth and seventh amongst Division I goaltenders, respectively.
Connecticut is in its first season as Hockey East's 12th program on the men's side and despite its 3-5-4 record, the three wins have come against a trio of quality teams (Boston College, Quinnipiac, Vermont).
Junior Shawn Pauly leads the team in both points (7) and assists (5). Senior Trevor Gerling (4g, 2a) and freshman Spencer Naas (3g, 3a) have each added six points. Three other players have four points apiece.
Sophomore Rob Nichols has started all 12 games in goal UConn and has a 1.94 goals-against average to go along with a .938 save percentage.
The Terriers have outscored their opponents 20-3 in the third period this season but have scored only three first-period goals.
