Terriers’ Weekend Sweep Nets 799th Win for Coach Parker

Goaltender Kieran Millan (CAS’12) recorded 29 saves and Chris Connolly (CGS’10) broke a 1-1 tie late in the third to lead the second-ranked Boston University men’s ice hockey team to a 3-1 victory over number 11/12 New Hampshire on Saturday, January 24, at the Whittemore Center. BU completed the sweep of the weekend home-and-home series, improving to 18-5-1 overall and 11-5-1 in conference play.

Head coach Jack Parker (SMG’68, Hon.’97) notched the 799th win of his career, as the Terriers surpassed last year’s regular-season win total of 17.

Kevin Shattenkirk (CAS’11) scored on a power play in the final minute of the first period, and the goal held up until the third, when UNH tied the contest with a pass that went off the skate of Mike Sislo at the goal mouth with 7:03 left in regulation.

Just 25 seconds after the Wildcats’ goal, Connolly sent home a cross-crease pass from Vinny Saponari (CAS’12) for the eventual game-winner. Chris Higgins (CAS’09) added an empty-netter to cap the scoring.

Colby Cohen (CAS’11) had two assists for the Terriers, who are now 11-1-1 in their last 13 games.

UNH, which held a 30-18 shot advantage and got a 15-save performance from junior Brian Foster, falls to 11-8-4 overall, with a 7-6-3 league record.

The Terriers’ penalty kill was outstanding once again, killing off all six of UNH’s power plays on the evening. The Wildcats came up empty on all 14 of their man-advantage chances in the series.

Shattenkirk got BU on the board first with 47 seconds left in the first period when he beat Foster five-hole from the foot of the left circle on assists from John McCarthy (CAS’09) and Cohen.

With BU on its second power play of the night, Cohen kept the puck in the UNH zone and pushed it to the left corner, where McCarthy corralled it before finding Shattenkirk all alone near the left faceoff dot. The sophomore calmly skated towards the net and faked a pass before sending the puck to the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

Millan was terrific all night, coming up with timely saves and keeping the home team off the board until a fluky goal tied the contest in the third.

In transition, UNH sophomore James van Riemsdyk brought the puck up along the left side and passed to junior Mike Sislo, who was streaking down the slot. The puck appeared to go off the skate of BU’s Brian Strait (CAS’10), who was attempting to break up the play, before sneaking inside the right post at 12:57. The play went to video review, and the goal call was upheld with Sislo getting credit for the tally.

BU wasted no time in getting the lead back, quickly gaining possession off the ensuing faceoff before putting together the game-winner. Cohen passed from the left point to Saponari, who curled around the right corner to elude a defender before backhanding a pass through the crease to Connolly, who converted with a wide-open net at 13:22.

The Terriers kept the Wildcats in check the rest of the way, despite having to kill off one more penalty. In the final two minutes, BU did an impressive job of retaining possession to keep UNH from pulling Foster and adding an extra attacker.

Foster headed to the bench with just over 30 seconds left, and Matt Gilroy (CAS’09) quickly intercepted a pass in the BU zone and sent a pass up the ice. That pass was collected by Colin Wilson (CAS’11), who got the puck to Jason Lawrence (CAS’09). Lawrence had a good look at the empty net, but passed off to Higgins, who tallied his 11th goal of the year with 15 seconds left to play.

BU will return to action on Friday, January 30, when the team travels to Merrimack for a 7 p.m. contest.

Tickets for Terrier men’s hockey are available at the Agganis Arena ticket office, 925 Commonwealth Ave., or online at AgganisArena.com. Discounted tickets for faculty and staff are available through the ticket office or by calling 617-353-GOBU. For more information, visit AgganisArena.com.