ESCOBEDO SCORES LATE TO SEND BOSTON UNIVERSITY PAST MASSACHUSETTS, 3-2
Senior defenseman Sean Escobedo nets late game-winning goal for Terriers

Senior defenseman Sean Escobedo scored the game-winning goal for the Terriers

AMHERST, Mass. - Playing its third straight home game in front of a crowd of 7,000+ the UMass hockey team was edged by #13 Boston University, 3-2 on Saturday at the Mullins Center. Following the setback, the Minutemen are now 1-3-0 overall, 0-3-0 in Hockey East, while the Terriers improve to 3-1-0 (3-1-0) on the year.

Senior Rocco Carzo logged his team-leading third goal of the season in the loss, while freshman Shane Walsh extended UMass' streak to four straight games with at least one power play goal.

With the first period winding down, the Minutemen capitalized on their third man advantage of the night as junior Conor Sheary caused a turnover in the slot and sent the puck over to Walsh inside the left faceoff circle for the score. The tally, which came at 16:49, was Walsh's first of his collegiate career.

Then, just 1:06 into the second, UMass increased its lead to 2-0. BU defenseman Garrett Noonan hauled down Carzo on a short-handed breakaway, resulting in a penalty shot for UMass. Carzo converted on the attempt, beating Matt O'Connor five hole to notch the Minutemen's first penalty shot goal since Jeff Turner's tally versus UMass-Lowell 12 years ago.

Minutes later, however, the Terriers halved their deficit. Amidst a scrum in front of the UMass net, Noonan tapped the puck over to Wade Megan who put it home. Evan Rodrigues also earned an assist on the goal, which came 4:52 into the stanza.

BU went on to add the equalizer before the intermission, scoring on the power play. Noonan and Danny O'Regan connected with Matt Nieto on the rush and Nieto flipped the puck past Minuteman netminder Kevin Boyle at the 14:46 mark.

With 1:22 left in regulation, Sean Escobedo scored with the game-winner for the Terriers after following up a rebound. O'Regan and Nieto both picked up their second points of the night, registering helpers on the play.

UMass finished the evening with a 36-35 shot advantage and showed great success at the faceoff dots for a second straight game, winning 42-of-66. Boyle totaled 32 saves for the Minutemen, while O'Connor turned aside 34 between the pipes for BU.

UMass will return to action next Friday, Nov. 2, playing host to New Hampshire at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center.