BOSTON - The Boston University men's ice hockey team held off a third-period comeback try by visiting Massachusetts to earn a 4-3 victory over the fifth-ranked Minutemen on Friday evening at Agganis Arena.

Graduate student Sam Tucker stopped the first 39 shots he faced and finished with a career-high 49 saves for the Terriers, who move to 3-3-4 on the season with a 2-2-3 Hockey East mark.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After scoring the lone goal of the opening period, the Terriers erupted with a three-goal second period to take a commanding 4-0 lead.
• The Minutemen rallied with three goals in the first nine minutes of the third before BU held on for the victory.
• Sophomore Matthew Quercia opened the scoring with a delayed-penalty goal, picking up a rebound in the slot and sending it past UMass netminder Matt Murray 7:02 into the contest.
• BU doubled the lead with a goal off a rush as senior Patrick Curry stuffed in a loose puck in the crease after classmate Patrick Harper crashed the net from the right side early in the middle period.
• An impressive individual effort by Gabriel Chabot pushed the lead to 3-0 as the senior won a tough battle for the puck behind the UMass goal before curling around and wristing a shot over Murray's shoulder at 5:25 of the second.
• The three-goal second was capped by junior David Farrance's team-leading ninth goal of the season, which proved to be the game-winner.
• Some deft passing by Harper and freshman Robert Mastrosimone on the power play allowed Farrance to get the puck alone in the left shot, where he faked a shot before burying the puck inside the left post with just four seconds left in the period.
• The visitors made a game of it, however, beginning with Gianfranco Cassaro's first collegiate goal, which came just 48 seconds into the third period to break up the shutout bid.
• Oliver Chau made it a 4-2 contest at the 4:08 mark with his first goal of the season before a wrister by Zac Jones eluded Tucker with 11:09 remaining in regulation to create a one-goal game.
• BU stayed out of the penalty box down the stretch and the defense and Tucker held on for the victory.

GAME NOTES

• Harper tallied two assists, upping his point streak to eight games while moving up to fourth in the nation in points per game this season at 1.88.
• Tucker eclipsed his previous career high of 33 saves before the end of the second period.
• UMass held a 52-22 shot advantage.
• BU went 1-for-3 on the power play and killed off both of the Minutemen's chances with the man advantage.
• Murray made seven saves on 10 shots before Filip Lindberg came on in relief and recorded 11 saves while allowing one goal.
• Quercia and freshman Case McCarthy each had a game-high three blocked shots.

UP NEXT

• The teams will meet again on Saturday (Nov. 16) in Amherst to wrap up the home-and-home weekend.
• Game time is set for 8 p.m.