SPORTS DOUBLE ROUBLE

Boston College men’s hockey fell to No. 4 Boston University on both Friday and Saturday in the 289th and 290th editions of the Battle of Comm. Ave.

With a man up, BU failed to capitalize on its first power-play opportunity of the night and nearly conceded a goal to Colby Ambrosio, who was all alone with BU goaltender Drew Commesso.

At the 9:45 mark of the frame, Trevor Kuntar found open ice with Oskar Jellvik and sent a shot flying toward Commesso. Kuntar recovered his rebound and sent the puck back on net, but Commesso made the save again.

The tie didn’t last long, as BU’s Wilmer Skoog sent the puck into the back of the net 1:25 into the second period to put the Terriers up 1–0.

BC struggled to retain possession of the puck following the goal and paid the price. With 10:38 left in the second, BU struck again. Case McCarthy lined up a shot and punched it home, giving the Terriers a 2–0 advantage.

BC killed a string of BU power plays after the second goal. Following a Cade Webber penalty, BC finally went on a power play of its own. A penalty against Lane Hutson just 35 seconds later put the Eagles on a 5-on-3 advantage, and they wasted no time taking advantage.

Andre Gas seau took command of the puck just seven seconds after Kuntar won the fa ceoff and stuffed the puck into the net to put BC up 2–1 with just over five minutes re maining in the frame.

“We moved it well,” BC head coach Greg said. ed as quality chances, as you can but they didn’t go in, so you know that’s the important thing in the power play. Obviously, in the playoffs and when it gets really important you have to finish.”

After BC halted three BU shots, Ambrosio found one more look on goal with 15 seconds left in the period but failed to convert.

The Eagles went on the man advantage once again 1:35 into the third frame but couldn’t find the net.

“You have to make your own luck,” Brown said. “Yes, some sticks break. But then you figure out another way to get pucks to the net. I thought we moved the puck well, we created opportunities. And then I guess the only thing we could say is you got to try and take Commesso’s eyes away a little bit more, so he can’t see those because he was locked in.”

With 8:23 left in the final period, Jeremy Wilmer extended the Terriers’ lead to two.

The Eagles failed to convert on another power play despite taking high-quality shots.

“I think everyone in our room wants to win and we’re all hungry,” Warren said. “We gotta play desperate.

I think that’s the biggest thing. We

It had appeared that Boston College men’s hockey would enter the first intermission of its Fri cross-town rival No. 4 Boston University up 1–0. The Terriers, however, struck in the fleeting seconds of the frame, completely changing the course of the mo mentum at Agganis Arena.

BC goaltender Mitch Benson saved a hard point shot, but he gave up the loose rebound. Traf fic developed in front of Benson, and the puck fell to BU’s Jay O’Brien, who slotted in the goal as the horn went off to signal the end of the period, send ing the home crowd into a frenzy.

Upon video review, of ficials confirmed the goal, tying the score at 1–1 heading into the second period.

O’Brien’s late first-period score was the first of many for the Terriers (18–6–0, 12–4–0 Hockey East), who defeated BC (9–8–5, 5–5–4) 6–3 in the 289th edition of the Battle of Comm. Ave and the first of the two teams’ home-and-home series.

“We were disappointed to have them tie it up,” BC head coach Greg Brown said. “Any time, even in the last two min utes, you especially don’t want to give up the goal in the last couple

Despite the hostile environ ment in Agganis Arena—which was at its loudest right before the game got underway—the Eagles netminder Drew Commesso saved an initial shot, but the rebound deflected off Trevor Kuntar’s body and trickled into the back of the net to give BC terson took a shot on the rebound that passed Benson into the top of the cage to put the Terriers ahead 3–1 with 7:28 remaining in the frame. great game tonight and he’s a great talent.” n

With 9:44 to go in the first period, BC went on a power play after officials called Ryan Greene for holding. And the Eagles’ unit—which boasts the highest conversion percentage in Hockey East—made sure to cash in. BU grabbed the momentum in the second period. Benson stopped shots from Case McCarthy and Quinn Hutson, but Jeremy Wilmer got one by him.

Wilmer’s rising wrist shot from the high slot beat Benson high on the glove side to give BU a 2–1 lead 6:48 into the second period.

The Terriers extended their lead with a goal from Dylan Peterson. BU found another loose puck following a Benson save. Pe - ing more than we did. game turned

The Eagles came out of the second intermission with heightened energy. self with a wide-open chance from the right faceoff circle, but Commesso sprawled to his left to save the shot with the edge

Shortly after, the Terriers padded their lead again.

This time, Luke Tuch completed a cross-ice er, who slotted the puck past Benson to make it a 4–1 game in BU’s gher scored again with 10:54 remaining in the game on a wrist shot from the right point that beat a screened Benson, who was relieved of his duties about two minutes later when Brown substituted him for backup Henry Wilder.

Using the BC defensemen as a screen, Luke Tuch wristed a shot that made it past Wilder to further extend BU’s lead to 6–1 with 5:27 to go.

Mike Posma and Cutter Gauthier scored in the final five minutes to cut the Terriers’ lead, but it was too late in the game for the Eagles to maneuver out of the three-goal deficit and mount a comeback. n