BOSTON - After taking a 13-day break from the schedule, the No. 4 Boston University men's ice hockey team (3-2-0) returns to action Friday (Nov. 4) when it opens up a home-and-home weekend at crosstown rival Northeastern (3-2-2). Game time at Matthews Arena is set for 7 p.m.

Friday's game will serve as the Terriers' Hockey East opener while the Huskies suffered a 3-2 loss in their league opener against Vermont on Sunday. BU is 20-8-4 all-time in Hockey East lid lifters with wins in each of the past five. 

This will be the 228th meeting between the Terriers and Huskies and BU holds a 161-58-8 (.727) advantage, including wins in nine of the past 10 meetings. The Terriers are 26-7-4 against Northeastern in regular-season meetings since the start of the 2005-06 campaign and are 79-29-4 (.723) in the teams' 112 meetings at Matthews/Boston Arena.

The Huskies, who are coming off their first-ever Hockey East title, were winless in their first three games (0-1-2) this season before reeling off three straight wins (1 vs. Bentley, 2 vs. Arizona State). Northeastern is allowing only 23.9 shots per game through its first seven contests.

BU last played on Oct. 22, when it blanked Quinnipiac, 3-0, to complete a two-shutout weekend that began with a 7-0 triumph over Sacred Heart in the home opener.

Junior Dylan Sikura has team highs in points (11) and assists (9) for the Huskies while sophomore Adam Gaudette (5g, 5a) and senior Zach Aston-Reese (4g, 6a) have contributed 10 points apiece. Sophomore Lincoln Griffin has added five points, including four tallies.

Sophomore Ryan Ruck has started all seven games in goal and sports a 2.25 goals-against average to go along with a .904 save percentage. 

BU has successfully killed off its opponents past 22 power plays, its longest such streak since 25 straight in March 2011. The Terriers' penalty kill ranks third in the nation with a 95.3-percent success rate (41-of-43). BU has already scored four shorthanded goals after totaling just two all of last season. 

After an impressive start to his collegiate career, BU freshman Jake Oettinger was named the Hockey East Stop It Goaltending Co-Goaltender of the Month for October. Oettinger currently boasts a .947 save percentage and 1.42 goals-against average, which rank fifth and sixth in the nation, respectively. He closed out October with back-to-back shutouts and his current shutout skein of 127:17 is the eighth-longest in program history.

Freshman Patrick Harper has at least one point in all five games to start his career and has a team-best eight points on two goals and six assists. Sophomore Jordan Greenway has five points (2g, 3a) over his past two games.

Senior Doyle Somerby leads all current Terrier in career points against Northeastern with five, including three of his seven career goals.

The teams will close out their home-and-home on Saturday (Nov. 5) at Agganis Arena at 7 p.m. BU will be kicking off Military Appreciation Month and offering all military personnel free tickets for home games throughout November.