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Everybody comes out a winner as BU and Harvard men’s hockey teams skate to an exhibition tie
The schools will face off again in the first round of the Beanpot in February.
Saturday night’s men’s hockey game between Boston University and Harvard may have been listed as an exhibition, but it sure didn’t feel like it. Save for the extra skaters on the line sheets — in addition to two goalies, BU listed 22, while Harvard countered with 23 — the teams approached the tilt as if it were a regular-season game, as did the 5,750 fans at Agganis Arena.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and that’s where the weekend review begins.
- Harvard and the rest of the Ivy League schools will not play their first games until Nov. 1. After beginning Hockey East play with a 4-2 win over UConn on Friday, BU had an open date on Saturday. The scrimmage gave both programs an opportunity to play on consecutive nights for the first time this season. (Harvard hosted the US National Team Development Program on Friday, prevailing, 5-4.)
“Just another ho-hum scrimmage, I guess,” Harvard coach Ted Donato deadpanned after the teams skated to a 2-2 draw. “I thought it was a really good hockey game. Our squad is excited to get going, and to be able to come over and play against an excellent team — well-coached, very skilled, and a great environment — I thought it was a great learning experience.”
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In addition to returning most of last year’s group, Harvard will be bolstered by a talented freshman class, two of whom lit the lamp against the Terriers in forward Justin Solovey and defenseman Lucas St. Louis.
BU used the exhibition to try some different combinations and get a look at some of the players who did not see a lot of ice time in the team’s 3-0 start. Sophomore Max Lacroix started in net as Mathieu Caron got the night off, and Lacroix responded with 25 saves.
“Playing in back-to-back games, it was good,” said BU coach Jay Pandolfo. “With this atmosphere, it wasn’t like it was a typical exhibition game where half the building is full and it’s tough to get up for those games. I don’t think it was very tough to get up for this game with the crowd.”
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It was the first of at least two meetings this season. The schools will face off in the first round of the Beanpot on Feb. 3, but could play before then on the second day of the Friendship Four in Belfast Nov. 30, depending on how the opening round plays out.
- Boston College paid tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, as well as Tony Voce, with a video followed by a moment of silence before Friday night’s home opener against AIC. All three former BC stars died over the summer.
“We talked about it before the game. ‘Let’s honor them with a heck of an effort,’ ” said coach Greg Brown after BC posted a 5-0 win. “I think the effect that those guys had on people is so much more than just hockey.
“They were great hockey players, but you don’t get that reaction if they’re just good hockey players. The effect they had on everybody here in BC, clearly everyone in Columbus and all over. It’s so sad. The worst nightmare is when you have to bury your own kids. It’s not supposed to go that way.”
As for the game, it was a dominating performance for the Eagles that saw freshmen James Hagens and Will Skahan tally their first NCAA goals.
- The game at Chestnut Hill marked the third time that AIC (0-3-1) served as the opponent for a home opener this season. The Yellow Jackets began the season with a 6-0 loss at Maine, then played Ohio State to a 2-2 draw the following weekend in Columbus.
“Iron sharpens iron,” said AIC coach Eric Laing. “We’ve always subscribed if you don’t play them, you can’t beat them. These games will make us better in the long haul. We won’t change the way we schedule games. Our guys get to play in a tremendous atmosphere, and I know we’ll be way better for it.”
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- Each season, the early portion of the schedule is made up mostly of nonconference games. This past weekend, Maine, Providence, and UMass Lowell all earned weekend sweeps at home, while Northeastern dropped a pair of games at No. 1 Denver. UMass split a home-and-home series with Sacred Heart, with the visiting team prevailing each time.
Through the first three weekends, Hockey East is 21-12-1 against outside competition, a .632 winning percentage.
- After opening the weekend with a 2-1 win over No. 9 Quinnipiac on Friday, the No. 7 Black Bears finished the job with a 6-5 victory in overtime on Saturday. The Bobcats rallied from a 4-1 deficit to take a 5-4 lead before Brandon Holt came up with the equalizer with 28 seconds remaining and goalie Albin Boija pulled for the extra skater.
Maine prevailed when David Breazeale scored with 36 seconds remaining in the extra session.
- Sophomore Tanner Adams had a hat trick to lead Providence to a 4-1 win over Arizona State on Friday. The Friars followed up with a 2-1 win on Saturday as Merrimack transfer Zachary Borgiel made 31 saves in his debut with Providence.
- UMass Lowell, which won eight games all of last season, improved to 3-1 with a pair of wins over Colgate. Senior Owen Cole and junior Scout Truman scored in both games for the River Hawks.
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