Boston University Topples Merrimack, 3-1
Sophomore forward Gabriel Chabot scores game-winner for Terriers

Sophomore forward Gabriel Chabot scored the game-winner for the Terriers
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
2nd 14:22  BU1-0 PP Dante Fabbro (9)Shane Bowers/10, Brady Tkachuk/18
2nd 17:09  BU2-0 EV GW Gabriel Chabot (1)David Farrance/5, Chad Krys/16
3rd 2:22  MER1-2 EV Simon Lööf (1)Alfred Larsson/5
3rd 10:51  BU3-1 EV Logan Cockerill (6)Brandon Hickey/7, Drew Melanson/11
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Boston University  0213
Merrimack  0011
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Boston University  810422
Merrimack  5111329
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Boston University (16-13-3)  1/5 7/17 0
Merrimack (9-18-4)  0/5 7/14 0
Boston University Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Jake Oettinger (W, 15-12-3)60:001 5111228
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Craig Pantano (L, 8-11-2)57:303 88319
Empty Net2:300     

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team fell to No. 20 Boston University on Saturday night at Lawler Rink, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Terriers. Freshman Simon Lööf recorded his first collegiate goal for the Warriors, who wrap up the regular season with a home-and-home series against UMass Lowell next weekend.

The Basics

Score: Boston U. 3, Merrimack 1
Records: Merrimack (9-18-4, 6-14-2 HEA) | #20 Boston University (16-13-3, 11-8-3 HEA)
Location: Lawler Rink | North Andover, Mass.
Attendance: 2549
Game Duration: 2:24

Hockey East Playoff Picture

All teams qualify; seeds 1-5 receive byes in the opening round; seeds 6-8 host opening round playoff series; winners advance to quarterfinals.

Opening round and quarterfinals are best-of-three series.

Conference records/points shown below (as of Feb. 17).

1. Boston College (16-6-0, 32 points)
2. Providence (13-6-4, 30 points)
3. Northeastern (13-6-3, 29 points)
4. Boston U. (11-8-3, 25 points)
T5. Maine (10-8-3, 23 points)
T5. Connecticut (11-11-1, 23 points)
7. UMass Lowell (10-12-0, 20 points)
8. Vermont (6-11-5, 17 points)
9. Massachusetts (7-13-2, 16 points)
10. New Hampshire (5-12-5, 15 points)
11. Merrimack (6-14-2, 14 points)

Rapid Recap

- Neither side found the twine in a first period that saw more combined penalty minutes (17) than shots (13). Merrimack had a golden opportunity after a major power play early on but could not capitalize as BU outshot the hosts by an 8-5 margin in the opening frame.

- BU edged ahead with a pair of second-period markers, scoring on the power play at 14:22 before doubling the lead less than three minutes later to take a 2-0 lead into the final intermission. Merrimack outshot BU by one in the period (11-10).

- Lööf brought the home crowd to life early in the third with his first goal of his career and Merrimack would have a power play opportunity moments later with a chance to tie the game. But that power play was cut short and BU eventually had a 5-on-3 chance; the Warriors killed off those penalties, but the Terriers eventually netted an insurance goal that proved to be the final strike of the night from either side despite a 13-4 edge in shots for Merrimack in the third.

Scoring Summaries

Goal #1 (BU, 0-1): BU's Dante Fabbro continued to haunt the Warriors with his fourth goal of the year against Merrimack and ninth overall at 14:22 of the second. Brady Tkachuk played the puck from the right circle in front to Shane Bowers, who tried to find a BU skater in the slot for a one-timer. The puck, instead, snuck through to the high slot for a one-timer from Fabbro that was blocked by a Merrimack skater but still managed to squeak through traffic and in.

Goal #2 (BU, 0-2): Gabriel Chabot's first goal of the season doubled the Terriers' lead at 17:09. Chad Krys played the puck out of his own zone to David Farrance, whose shot from the left circle was tipped by Chabot and in.

Goal #3 (MC, 1-2): Lööf's first collegiate goal brought the Warriors to within one just 2:22 into the third. Senior Alfred Larsson won the faceoff in the far circle straight back, and Lööf snuck in and one-timed a shot that beat BU goaltender Jake Oettinger glove side.

Goal #4 (BU, 1-3): Logan Cockerill pushed BU back up by two with his sixth goal of the year 10:51 into the third. Drew Melanson took a long pass into the zone at the right wing and dished to Brandon Hickey in the slot, who furthered the puck along to Cockerill at the bottom of the far circle and he scored high blocker side.

Notes and Notables

- Lööf became the second member of the freshman class to score this season and lit the lamp in his fifth career game.

- BU swept the season series as Merrimack's all-time mark against the Terriers moved to 19-87-8.

- Merrimack saw its record when allowing the first goal fall to 5-13-0 while remaining winless (0-16-2) when being held to fewer than three goals.

- Goaltenders: Craig Pantano (19 saves, 8-11-2) // Jake Oettinger (28 saves, 15-12-3)

- Power Plays: Merrimack (0-5) | Boston U. (1-5)

- Shots on Goal (MC-BU): 5-8 // 11-10 // 13-4 - 29-22

Merrimack Lineup

Forwards
Hennig | L. Larsson | McBride
Seney | Petti | Tavernier
Babcock | A. Larsson | Irvine
Coomes | Kramer | Bales

Defense
Kolquist | Titcomb
Biega | Cook
Kovacevic | Lööf

Goaltenders
Pantano | Vogler | Halladay

Up Next

Merrimack will play a home-and-home series with nearby rival UMass Lowell to conclude the regular season next weekend. Puck drop each night is set for 7 p.m.