No. 5 Terriers Down Friars in Overtime to Reach Hockey East Title Game

Friday, March 17

Boston, MA (TD Garden)

4 PM

Boston University

26-10-0

Providence (HE Semifinal)

16-14-7

OT 1

Providence

Boston U.

Photo by: Rich Gagnon

No. 5 Terriers Down Friars in Overtime to Reach Hockey East Title Game

March 17, 2023 | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score Box Score Pandolfo/Q. Hutson Postgame Highlights

BOSTON - Freshman Quinn Hutson scored with 9:08 left in overtime to lift the top-seeded Boston University men's ice hockey team to a 2-1 victory over seventh-seeded Providence in the semifinals of the Hockey East Championship on Friday evening at TD Garden.

The contest was scoreless until the late stages of regulation as the Friars got on the board first with 7:35 left in the third.

BU got an equalizer from junior Dylan Peterson just over five minutes later to send the game to overtime, where Hutson buried a perfect pass by junior Luke Tuch to push the Terriers into Saturday's Hockey East title game.

Junior Drew Commesso made 37 saves including an impressive stop on a PC shorthanded breakaway with the Friars up 1-0 to allow for the comeback.

Freshman Ryan Greene assisted on both goals for BU, which improves to 26-10-0 on the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Trying to extend their season, the Friars had sizeable shot advantages in both the first (11-2) and second (12-6) periods but the teams entered the second intermission in a scoreless deadlock.
Right after BU killed off what would be PC's third and final power-play chance of the game, the Friars opened the scoring when a bid by Bennett Schimek from the outer edge of the right circle went off Commesso and in at 12:24 of the third.
The Terriers were awarded a power-play chance with 5:36 left in regulation but the PC penalty kill nearly stole the show and sealed the game.
After a shot by Hutson hit the right pipe on the man advantage the Friars created a shorthanded breakaway for Nick Poisson, who was denied by Commesso on an incredible sprawling skate save at the left post.
BU was able to knot the game at 5-on-5 with 2:32 left in the third when Peterson scored from the slot after a pass from the left side by freshman Lane Hutson went off the stick of Greene and right to Peterson, who calmly deposited his fifth goal of the season.
The Terriers had four shot attempts in the final minute and two were on goal but the Friar defense hung on to push the game to overtime.
BU had a chance to win the game on power play six minutes into overtime but PC's penalty kill was up to the task.
An initial rush led to the winner as Greene passed off to Tuch in the neutral zone and Tuch darted in along the left side before finding Quinn Hutson streaking through the slot to end the contest.

GAME NOTES

With 12:05 left in regulation, senior Case McCarthy was injured following a collision into the end boards behind the PC goal, and after being down for several minutes, he was able to get up on and stand on his skates before leaving on a stretcher.
Over their past three Hockey East games at TD Garden, the Terriers have allowed just two regulation goals.
Providence's final three losses of the season all came at the hands of the Terriers.
Each team went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Quinn Hutson has scored five goals during BU's current six-game win streak and Friday's tally was his team-best sixth game-winner of the season.
Peterson has three goals and four assists over the past six contests.
Commesso has combined for 76 saves over his past two starts against Providence.

UP NEXT

The Terriers will attempt to win their 10th Hockey East tournament title on Saturday (March 18) when they take on second-seeded Merrimack at 7 p.m.
The Warriors earned a 2-1 double overtime win on Friday, defeating fifth-seeded UMass Lowell in the second semifinal.