BOSTON - Freshman Cole Eiserman tallied a career-best two goals and classmate Brandon Svoboda scored his first collegiate goal to help lead the No. 3 Boston University men's ice hockey team to a 4-2 win over UConn on Friday night at Agganis Arena.
BU improved to 3-0-0 in its Hockey East opener, using second-period goals from Eiserman and Svoboda to erase a 1-0 UConn (3-2-0, 0-1-0 HE) lead. Eiserman converted on a power play in the third period to make it 3-1 before UConn responded with a shorthanded strike moments later. However, sophomore Tom Willander fired home an insurance goal with 2:17 remaining in regulation to create the 4-2 final.
Co-captains Ryan Greene and Shane Lachance assisted on Eiserman's game-winner, two of the eight different Terriers to record an assist. Seniors Tristan Amonte and Jack Hughes, junior Devin Kaplan, sophomore Jack Harvey and freshmen Kamil Bednarik and Alex Zetterberg all had one helper apiece. Senior goaltender Mathieu Caron made 24 saves in another strong effort.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Caron was once again on his game from the opening puck drop, making two huge point-blank stops to early in the first to keep the game scoreless.
- UConn broke through at the 16:44 mark of the first when Hudson Schandor blocked a shot and converted the ensuing breakaway bid.
- Eiserman evened the score just 1:22 into the second stanza. Bednarik won an offensive-zone draw in the left circle and Eiserman was first to the loose puck before cutting to the net and going to his backhand to beat UConn netminder Thomas Heaney (25 saves).
- Svoboda gave BU its first lead of the game with 3:35 to play in the middle frame. Zetterberg collected the puck deep in the UConn zone and found Amonte in the left circle. Amonte drew a defender to him before dishing the puck down low to a wide-open Svoboda. The freshman quickly turned towards goal and found an opening at the near post for his first collegiate goal.
- The Terriers extended their lead to 3-1 just nine seconds after UConn was whistled for a five-minute major. Greene got the puck below the goal line and found Lachance at the top of the crease. Lachance's bid bounced off a UConn defender and Eiserman batted the puck out of midair and into the back of the net.
- The Huskies notched a shorthanded goal just 44 seconds later to cut the deficit back to one, but Willander iced the game at 17:43. Kaplan dumped the puck down low to Hughes, who gathered it in the right corner, shook his defender and then split two Huskies with a terrific backhand feed to Willander in the right circle for a one-timer that rocketed past Heaney.
- BU then dug deep to kill the remainder of the game, as UConn held a 6-on-4 advantage in the final minutes after pulling Heaney in favor of an extra attacker during a power play. The Terriers sold out to block shots and Caron stood tall when needed to preserve the win.
GAME NOTES
- Eiserman is the first Terrier since at least 2002-03 to score four goals in his first three collegiate games.
- The last Terrier, regardless of class, to open a season with four goals in three games was Logan Cockerill in 2020-21.
- Svoboda became the fourth Terrier rookie to light the lamp this season, joining Eiserman, Zetterberg and Cole Hutson.
- Zetterberg, Willander, Lachance and Eiserman have all recorded at least one point in all three games.
- BU has started a season 3-0-0 for the first time since the 2014-15 team won its first four games.
- The Terriers have killed 11 of the first 12 power plays they have faced this season, including both of UConn's chances on Friday.
UP NEXT
- BU will host Harvard in an exhibition contest on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Agganis Arena.
- Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
