PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The No. 2 Boston University men's ice hockey team scored three goals in the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit and defeat No. 11/10 Providence, 4-2, on Thursday night at Schneider Arena.
Freshman Macklin Celebrini scored the Terriers' first two goals of the game, with his 28th goal of the season at 2:42 of the third tying the score at 2-2. Freshman Shane Lachance then scored the game-winner with 10:34 remaining in regulation before combining with Celebrini to set up classmate Jack Harvey's insurance goal with 8:43 to play. Providence (18-12-3, 11-9-3 HE) pulled its goaltender late in the third but was unable to get another goal as BU (23-8-2, 17-4-2 HE) extended its win streak to four games.
Celebrini (2g, 1a) and Lachance (1g, 2a) each recorded three points, with Celebrini on the ice for all four BU markers. Sophomore Lane Hutson recorded two assists while freshman Tom Willander and sophomore Quinn Hutson added one assist apiece. Junior Mathieu Caron made 24 saves for the Terriers, including two nice stops in the third period to maintain the Terriers' two-goal lead.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Celebrini got BU on the board first just 8:14 into the proceedings. He began the sequence with a sensational backhand saucer pass across the neutral zone to Lachance, who gained the blue line and slid it forward to Lane Hutson. Hutson dished it to Celebrini cutting to the front of the net, and Celebrini did well to corral the pass with a defender draped on him before firing an off-balance shot past Philip Svedebäck (24 saves).
- Providence nearly equalized with about 2:30 to play in the first, but the Friars' chance hit the crossbar.
- That was one of just four shot attempts for PC in the opening 20 minutes, as the Friars were held without a shot on goal.
- Providence recorded 14 shots in the second stanza, however, and notched two goals from those attempts to take a 2-1 lead into the third period.
- The Terriers finished killing a 5:00 major to start the final frame and then took advantage of a power-play chance of their own when Celebrini rocketed a one-timer past Svedebäck to even the score at the 2:42 mark.
- Lachance put the Terriers ahead for good with 10:34 to play. Willander zipped the puck across the top of the zone to Hutson, who fired a shot on goal. Svedebäck made the initial save, but Lachance was stationed in front of the net and quickly deposited the rebound for his 12th goal of the season.
- Harvey doubled the Terriers' lead less than two minutes later. Lachance took a hit in the neutral zone to make a play to Celebrini up the left side. Celebrini fed Harvey, who then went bar down with a beautiful one-timer from the slot for his fourth goal of the season.
- Caron came up with two important stops with 4:40 on the clock to keep BU in front by two.
- The Friars pulled Svedebäck in favor of an extra attacker for the final 2:43, but BU held strong defensively to leave Providence with all three points.
GAME NOTES
- Celebrini is the first Terrier to record 50 points in a season since Jack Eichel (71 points), Evan Rodrigues (61) and Danny O'Regan (50) all achieved that feat during the 2014-15 season.
- He is also just the third freshman since 2005-06 to score at least 28 goals and the 12th rookie in that timeframe to record 50 points.
- Lane Hutson is just the fourth NCAA defensemen to record multiple 40-point seasons since 2005-06, and the only one to do it as a freshman and as a sophomore.
- Graduate student Cade Webber blocked seven shots and continues to lead the nation with 114 blocks this season.
- This was the first time BU held an opponent to zero shots on goal in a single period since Dec. 29, 2004, when the Terriers held Nebraska Omaha without a shot on goal in the second period of a 4-1 win at Walter Brown Arena.
- The Terriers are 8-0-1 in their last nine games against the Friars.
- Both teams went 1-for-5 on the power play.
UP NEXT
- BU will honor its senior class on Saturday, March 9, when the Terriers close the regular season against Vermont at Agganis Arena.
- Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.
