DURHAM, N.H. - Matt Campanale (Chester Springs, Pa.), Phil DeSimone (East Amherst, N.Y.) and Paul Thompson (Derry, N.H.) recorded two points apiece to lead the University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team to Friday night's 4-2 victory against Boston University in Hockey East action at the Whittemore Center.
UNH improved to 4-6-2 overall and 4-2-1 in Hockey East while BU fell to 3-7-0, 2-6-0.
Thompson tallied a goal and an assist and both Campanale and DeSimone recorded two assists. Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) finished with 21 saves, including 12 in the second stanza.
BU goalie Kieran Millan was credited with 23 saves.
The Wildcats recorded an 8-4 shot advantage and skated to a 1-0 lead in the first period. In the opening minute of play, a BU turnover in the neutral zone led to a two-man rush against Millan. Stevie Moses (Leominster, Mass.) carried the puck down the left side and slid the puck across to Peter LeBlanc (Hamilton, Ontario) on the right wing. LeBlanc immediately sent a return pass across the slot, but Moses' shot from close range sailed wide of the left post.
With 5:30 remaining in the opening frame, a UNH rush led to a wrist shot by Bobby Butler (Marlboro, Mass.) from the right faceoff dot that beat Millan but ricocheted off the near post.
New Hampshire took a 1-0 lead at 16:43 when DeSimone drew the puck backwards on a faceoff on the right wing. Thompson tipped the puck to Damon Kipp (Salmon Arm, British Columbia) and his slap shot from the right point sailed through traffic into the upper-right corner of the net.
Both teams netted a goal in the second period to advance the score to 2-1. The Terriers pulled even, 1-1, at 4:33 off a faceoff in the left circle. Corey Trivino battled for possession and pulled the puck towards the slot, where Zach Cohen lifted a shot into the upper-left corner of the net.
UNH generated a dangerous shorthanded scoring opportunity in the seventh minute when Blake Kessel (Verona, Wis.), from the defensive zone, made an indirect outlet pass off the left boards to spring Butler behind the defense. Butler charged into the circle and blasted a low shot that Millan blocked aside with his right leg pad.
BU was whistled for minor penalties at 9:55 and 10:31 to give the 'Cats a two-skater advantage for one minute, 22 seconds, and UNH capitalized to take a 2-1 lead at 11:24. A sequence of quick passes moved the puck from Campanale high on the right side across to Kessel and diagonally to Butler at the left faceoff dot, where he one-timed a high shot inside the near post.
At the end of that continued power play, UNH's Mike Sislo (Superior, Wis.) snapped a shot from the left circle that caromed off the left post.
The Terriers went on their third power play of the night at 15:01. With sustained pressure, Wade Megan was denied at the right post by Foster, and the UNH goalie also turned aside Megan's bid off the rebound. The puck quickly moved to the high slot and Kevin Shattenkirk's screened shot was blocked aside by Foster.
BU opened the third period with 52 seconds remaining on a power play but could not sustain pressure in the offensive zone.
In the fifth minute, an outlet pass sent BU's Cohen behind the defense at the slot, but Kipp hustled back and he tied up Cohen's stick, preventing a shot.
UNH extended its advantage to 3-1 at 8:07 when Greg Manz (Wayne, Pa.) won a faceoff directly to John Henrion (Holden, Mass.) and he fired a shot into the net for his first career goal.
BU responded just 41 seconds later, however, to trim the deficit to 3-2 on a goal by Ross Gaudet at 8:48. Luke Popko and Kevin Shattenkirk were credited with assists.
The Wildcats netted their second power-play goal of the night at 11:14 to build a 4-2 lead. DeSimone initiated the scoring sequence with a pass from the right half-boards to Campanale in the high slot, and Thompson then blasted a one-timer into the net.
BU called time out with 1:37 remaining and pulled Millan in favor of an extra skater. The Terriers could not generate a shot, however, before UNH's Kessel cleared the puck out of the zone with 70 seconds to play. Before the visitors could get the puck back into the offensive zone, they were whistled for a penalty with 57 seconds on the clock and that forced Millan back into the net the rest of the way.
New Hampshire and BU conclude the home-and-home series Nov. 21 (7 p.m.) in Boston at Agganis Arena. The game will be televised live on NESN. The Wildcats' next home game is Dec. 4 (7 p.m.) against UMass-Lowell.