DU Pioneers hold on to best BU Terriers 4-3

The DU Pioneers took on Boston University tonight in the team’s first game after two disappointing losses in the College Hockey, Inc. Ice Breaker Tournament. Last season, the Terriers took the first of two meetings with a 5-4 OT win, but it was the Pioneers that came out on top in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a dominating 7-2 win.

Both teams came out flying, moving the puck up the ice well and giving the fans a fun, fast first period. The Pioneers got the first power play of the night and upped the tempo even more. Few stoppages in play helped to keep the pace, and multiple man advantages tilted the ice in DU’s favor by the halfway mark.

At 17:39, Boston University’s Dante Fabbro was called for interference, and it only took 16 seconds before DU finally converted. Captain Will Butcher sent a rocket from the point straight up the middle with a ton of traffic in front of BU goaltender Jake Oettinger. Alternate captain Matt Marcinew was able to find the puck, however, and tipped it in for the first goal of the night. The period came to a close with the Pioneers up 1-0 and leading in shots 14-9.

The middle frame started with DU on yet another power play, wrapping up the final 49 seconds of a hooking call against BU’s Keiffer Bellows. While the Pioneers did not score on that advantage, the team did make good on some strong even strength play to extend the lead to 3-0 with under five minutes having been played in the middle frame. The Terriers looked very disjointed after those back-to-back goals, but a power play was all they needed to regroup and find their legs again.

“I just liked (our) team togetherness, how hard we were to play against. If we can continue to evolve and play that way, we’re going to be a good hockey team . . . That (Evan) Janssen line with (Tyson) McLellan and (Logan) O’Connor, they were special tongiht. I couldn’t get them out there enough. – Jim Montgomery, Head Coach”

On a weak interference penalty (Tariq Hammond), BU finally scored as a streaking Brandon Hickey scooped up a rebound and sent it past DU goalie Tanner Jaillet. The goal rejuvenated the Terriers, but DU quickly took the wind out of their sails with a smoking goal from the left circle by Janssen, his second of the night. It was as pretty as they come, set up perfectly by Tyson McLellan and Logan O’Connor. The period wound down with more power plays, one for BU and two for DU, the second of which coming just eight seconds before the end of the second where the Pioneers topped the Terriers 4-1 in goals and 24-14 in shots.

The third period started off with a goal review as it appeared that BU got one in, but there was a question as to whether the whistle had blown before the puck crossed the line. After a long look, the referee determined it was good, cutting DU’s lead in half at 4-2. Jordan Greenway was credited with the tally. The pace of play picked back up, looking much like the run and gun of the first period.

BU inched closer to DU on the scoreboard as Clayton Keller notched a short-handed goal as a pass to the DU point sailed past Butcher, who then fell to the ice in an attempt to stop the breakaway. DU was reeling a bit after that goal, but eventually settled things down to balance out the play of the Terriers. The game really took off in the final eight minutes of the third, with both teams playing aggressively. They had similar energy and north-south action as the first, though there was less finesse and the desperation from both teams was palpable. Despite some close calls on both sides of the ice, play wound down and the game ended with that 4-3 score.

Three stars:
1. Evan Janssen (DU; 2 goals)
2. Matt Marcinew (DU; 1 goal)
3. Patrick Harper (BU; 2 assists)

The Pioneers and Terriers face each other again tomorrow night at Magness Arena. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm.