Jan. 23, 2015
Box Score | Video Highlights | Postgame Comments: Quinn | Hohmann
Saturday: Watch | Listen | Live Stats | Game Notes
BURLINGTON, Vt. - The No. 3 Boston University men's ice hockey team posted a 4-2 road victory over No. 12 Vermont on Friday evening in the opener of a weekend series at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
The Terriers improve to 14-4-4 overall with a 9-2-2 Hockey East mark and now hold a two-point lead over UMass Lowell for first place in the league standings. The Catamounts move to 15-7-2 on the year and 7-5-1 in league play.
BU overcame a sluggish start and scored twice in the final seven minutes of the second period to take a 2-0 lead. Senior Evan Rodrigues scored an end-to-end highlight-reel goal early in the third to push the Terriers' cushion to 3-0.
The home team scored twice in the third, capped by a 6-on-4 power-play tally at 15:17 with the goaltender pulled, but the Terriers got a late empty-netter from freshman Jack Eichel to seal the victory.
Rodrigues added an assist on the final goal for a two-point night while sophomore Robbie Baillargeon and freshman Brandon Fortunato each recorded two assists.
The Terriers tied a season high with 23 blocked shots in front of junior goaltender Matt O'Connor, who made 32 saves to pick up the win.
Baillargeon earned primary assists on both of BU's tallies in the second period. He found junior Ahti Oksanen for a one-timer at the top of right circle with 6:07 left in the stanza to open the scoring.
With the Terriers skating on a power play late in the period, Baillargeon skated around the left circle before sliding a short pass to senior Cason Hohmann, who roofed a shot past UVM netminder Brody Hoffman.
The Hohmann goal, which came with 14.5 seconds left in the stanza, was not called on the ice, but instead was verified following a video review after time expired in the period.
Vermont went on to hold a 34-33 shot advantage for the game. Hoffman stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced before being replaced by sophomore Mike Santaguida following the Rodrigues goal. Santaguida made four saves without allowing a goal.
BU went 1-for-5 on the power play and killed off three of Vermont's four chances with the man advantage.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday (Jan. 24) to close out the weekend series. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
