DURHAM, N.H. - Sophomore forward Morgan Winters (Osprey, Fla.) scored two goals to lead the Wildcats as the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team took down No. 1 Boston University, 6-4, on Friday night in front of a packed crowd of 6,070 at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex.
With the win, the Wildcats start the season 1-0-0 (1-0-0 Hockey East), while the Terriers fall to 1-1-0 (0-1-0 Hockey East).
The last time UNH defeated the No. 1 ranked team in the nation was a 3-2 win versus Cornell on April 10, 2003 in the national semifinal game in Buffalo, N.Y. The last Wildcat win over BU was a 4-3 defeat of the Terriers on Feb. 14, 2015 as BU had won 12 straight in the series entering tonight's contest.
UP NEXT:
- The Wildcats return to action versus defending national champion and No. 5 Quinnipiac on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Complex at 7 p.m. The game on Saturday is Real 'Cats Wear Pink presented by Mass General Brigham as there will be Pink Rally Towel giveaway.
- Go to UNHWildcats.com/Tickets or call the ticket office at (603) 862-4000 to catch the most exciting family entertainment in New Hampshire.
Score: New Hampshire 6, Boston University 4
Records: UNH (1-0-0, 1-0-0 Hockey East); BU (1-1-0, 0-1-0 Hockey East)
Location: Durham, N.H. (Whittemore Center Arena at Key Auto Group)
Date: Friday, Oct. 13, 2023
Time: 7 p.m.
Attendance: 6,070
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After BU took an early 1-0 lead, sophomore forward Cy LeClerc (Brentwood, N.H.) ripped a shot through traffic stick side to record the first goal of the season for the Wildcats and tie up the game 1-1 at 8:40 on the power play.
- At 10:42 of the first period, UNH took the lead 2-1 with another power play goal as freshman forward Ryan Conmy (Alexandria, Va.) sent a pass to junior forward Liam Devlin (Needham, Mass.) who fired a shot past the Terrier goaltender sticking the puck glove side in the back of the net.
- BU then scored two straight to take a 3-2 advantage, but UNH responded at 17:07 to tie the game up 3-3 as senior defenseman Luke Reid (Warwick, Saskatchewan) found the back of the neck. Devlin and Conmy both tallied an assist on the goal.
- At 1:43 of the second period, junior forward Robert Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) sent a pass in front of the net to Winters who then blasted a shot glove side to give the Wildcats the 4-3 lead. Freshman forward Marty Lavins (Riga, Latvia) also had an assist.
- At 6:05 of the second period, Winters sailed down the ice netting a shorthanded breakaway goal to give the Wildcats a 5-3 lead.
- With the score now 5-4 in the third period, UNH made it 6-4 as junior Kristaps Skrastins (Grobina, Latvia) slipped a goal in glove side in front of the net at 3:04. LeClerc and junior captain Alex Gagne (Bedford, N.H.) both recorded an assist on the goal.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UNH outshot Boston University, 35-24
- The Wildcats went 2-5 on the power play, while the Terriers went 0-3.
- Sophomore goaltender Tyler Muszelik (Long Valley, N.J.) recorded 20 saves to earn the win, while Mathieu Caron tallied 29.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Winters scored a career best two goals.
- For the second straight season LeClerc has scored the first goal of the year for the Wildcats.
- Conmy posted his first collegiate points with two assists, while Lavins tallied his first point with an assist.
