Huskies Drop Game One at BU in Overtime, 5-4

Friday, March 9

Boston, Mass.

7:30 PM

University of Connecticut

15-18-2

Boston University

18-13-4

OT 1

UConn

Boston University

3/9/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

March 9, 2018

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

BOSTON, Mass. - Boston University junior Bobo Carpenter scored the game-winning goal 5:02 into overtime to deal the UConn Huskies a 5-4 loss in game one of their Hockey East quarterfinal series Friday night from Agganis Arena. UConn, now 15-18-2 overall, will look to even the series tomorrow night in game two.

The Huskies twice held leads, 3-2 in the second period and 4-3 late in the third but couldn't hold off the Terriers who tied the game at 16:22 in the third on a Chad Krys goal to force overtime, setting up the Carpenter winner.

BU's Jordan Greenway scored twice for BU who won their 11th-straight game at home in the playoffs. Senior Drew Melanson scored and added an assist while Krys added two assists to his goal.

For UConn, junior Max Kalter (Highland Park, Ill.) gave the Huskies an early first period lead. Juniors Karl El-Mir (Montreal, Quebec) and Maxim Letunov (Moscow, Russia) each picked-up second period goals to stake the Huskies to a 3-2 lead after two.

Sophomore Benjamin Freeman (Falmouth, Maine) scored on the power play at 14:57 of the third period to put the Huskies up 4-3 before Krys would answer. BU's Jake Oettinger made 36 saves to earn the win in goal for the Terriers.

UConn sophomore Adam Huska (Zvolen, Slovakia) stopped 33 shots in taking the loss. Huska returned to action after missing the last nine games of the regular season with an injury (wrist).

Coach Cav on tonight's OT loss. #IceBus pic.twitter.com/juePYQF5Z1
- UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) March 10, 2018

1st:
The Huskies struck first on Friday night, going up 1-0 just 4:34 into the first. Freshman Brian Rigali (Libertyville, Ill.) broke up a BU clearing attempt along the half boards and chipped the puck to Kalter, who sniped one past Oettinger for his sixth of the season.

Melanson had a hand in the two BU goals in the first, helping the Terriers answer the UConn score just 18 seconds later. The senior fed Greenway through the neutral zone and onto a breakaway chance. Greenway knotted the game with his 11th goal of the season, beating Huska five-hole at 4:52.

Melanson put the Terriers up 2-1 at 7:48 with his third goal of the season. BU's Brady Tkachuk threw the puck on net and a scrum in front of Huska left the right side of the net open. Melanson found the loose puck near the right post and tucked it in for a 2-1 edge.

2nd:
The Huskies struck for two in the second to retake the lead, 3-2, heading into the final period. UConn struck for the tying goal early in the second as El-Mir tied the game at 2-2 just 1:31 in. Senior defenseman David Drake (Naperville, Ill.) fed the puck down to El-Mir near the left post and he backhanded a shot past Oettinger for his third of the season.

UConn took the lead back at 14:31 as Letunov put home his 12th of the year. Pratt fired the puck in front, getting a deflection. Letunov found the rebound near the post and tucked it just past Oettinger for a 3-2 lead.

The Huskies got a huge penalty kill at the 16:11 mark as a boarding call on freshman Adam Karshik (Ridgefield, Conn.) gave BU a 5-on-3 for 1:23. The Huskies killed off the two-man advantage and what was left on the Karshik penalty allowing just one shot through to Huska to keep the game 3-2 UConn.

3rd:
BU's power play tied the game just 2:02 into the third period. Sophomore Dante Fabbro took a slap shot from the high point and Greenway was set up in front of Huska to get a tip on the puck for his second of the night, tying the game at 3-3.

The Huskies got a power play goal of their own at 14:57 to grab a 4-3 lead late. The Terriers tried to clear but Freeman picked off the pass in the neutral zone and skated into the slot where he buried a wrister top-shelf for his eighth of the season.

The Terriers answered right back at 16:22 on Krys' seventh on the year. The sophomore defenseman fired from the left wing with Huska making the save. The rebound bounced around and found Krys' stick in the crease and he buried one bar down to knot the game back up at 4-4.

OT:
The Terriers outshot the Huskies 5-2 in the extra session before Carpenter ended it at 5:02. The junior took the puck and broke around the back of the net looking for a wrap-around, stuffing it past Huska just inside the post. It was Carpenter's seventh goal this season against the Huskies in the four meetings between the two schools.

Junior Max Kalter on tonight's game and moving forward for the rest of the weekend. #IceBus pic.twitter.com/EDZK5QSZso
- UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) March 10, 2018

Notes:
The Huskies are still searching for their post season win under head coach Mike Cavanaugh (0-9-0). UConn's last postseason win came during the 2012-13 Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals.

Senior Spencer Naas (Minnetonka, Minn.) saw his eight-game point streak come to an end in the loss.

Letunov to his team-high point total (28) with his 12th goal of the season. He has 95 career points in 103 career games. El-Mir ended a 28-game drought without a goal. His last goal came at AIC on October 13th.