Terriers Fight for 3-3 Tie with Vermont; Parker Not Impressed

By: L. Tyler Murray

The Boston University men’s hockey team (4-7-3, 2-6-2 HE) fell behind 2-0 in the first period, but clawed their way back to a 3-3 tie with the No. 19 Vermont Catamounts (6-5-2, 4-4-2 HE) Friday night at Agganis Arena.

With the clock winding down in the 3rd and Terriers trailing 3-2, sophomore Corey Trivino (’12) charged the right side of the net and fired home a rebound past a sprawling Rob Madore (37 saves) to even up the score with 5:18 to play. With 20 seconds left in the final period, it looked as if BU had pulled off a late-game miracle, as junior Colby Cohen’s (’11) shot from the left circle lit up the red light, indicating a sure game-winning goal. However, upon further review, the officials waved off the goal, sending the Terriers to their fourth overtime in as many games. The final five minutes of play went by without a score, and BU settled for a one-point result.

“I think BU played better than we did tonight,” said UVM head coach Kevin Sneddon. “I thought they carried the play for the second half of the game…you don’t always earn your point, but we’ll take it.”

BU head coach Jack Parker was far less impressed with the Terriers’ performance, to say the least.
“On paper it looks like a pretty OK game for us, but in reality it’s just covering up,” Parker said. “We aren’t a hungry hockey team, we think it’s OK to come out and see what’s going to happen...we might as well have been in a pickup game at the Boston Skate Club.”

Parker went on to criticize his team’s lack of preparation and questioned his players’ mentality.

“They’re in last place,” Parker continued. “They have to be absolutely from another planet not to know how important these two games are.”

Senior Eric Gryba ('11), who scored his first goal of the season to get the Terriers on the board in the second, echoed his coach's sentiments.

"We need more of a sense of urgency to start winning games," Gryba said. "Tying is not acceptable anymore."

While Parker was disgusted by the Terriers’ effort, the game certainly had its bright points. The comeback began on an inspiring short-handed hustle play by junior Nick Bonino (’11), who chased a cleared puck deep into the Vermont zone and took on three defenders up against the boards. The assistant captain would eventually draw a penalty, creating a 4-on-4 situation that set up Gryba’s goal four minutes into the second period. Sophomore Vinny Saponari (’12) made it easy for the big defenseman, as he found Gryba alone on the far post for a stuff-in score.

Said Gryba, who now has three career goals after going scoreless last season, “I’m just thankful I didn’t miss from there. Guess the monkey’s off the back for this year anyway.”

The Catamounts answered right back, as junior Wahsontiio Stacey snuck a puck through sophomore Grant Rollheiser’s (’12) five-hole, extending the Catamount’s lead to 3-1 just four minutes later.

Fortunately for the Terriers, sophomore Ross Gaudet (’12) cut the lead in half with 5:38 to go in the period, dekeing Madore and finishing on a breakaway. The goal marked Gaudet’s third of the season, rather impressive for a role player who separated his shoulder again early on in the year.

The Terriers return to action tomorrow night, as they host arch rival Boston College at Agganis. Be sure to stay tuned to wtbusports.com for all the coverage of that game and everything BU Hockey all season long.

Quick Hits:

Before tonight, the Terriers had never played in four straight overtime contests...BU outshot UVM 40-24...BU is now undefeated in its last four contests, posting a 1-0-3 record during the stretch, and 2-1-3 since losing four consecutive games from Oct. 31-Nov. 13...The Terriers' game-tying goal was the only successful power play on of the night, as BU went 1-of-6 with the man advantage and Vermont came up empty on all three of its chances.

Notes courtesy of Brian Kelly and GoTerriers.com