The calendar says January, but the second game played in Agganis Arena had more of an October feel to it.
In an exhibition game against USA Hockey’s Under-18 team, Boston University played without a half-dozen of their better players due to a combination of injuries and illnesses as well as a desire to get some untested freshmen into the lineup. Regardless, the Terriers dominated the shot totals early and ultimately emerged with a 4-1 win in front of 4,629 fans.
Ken Roche scored a pair of third-period goals for BU, while captain Brian McConnell added three assists. Freshman netminder Karson Gillespie, who has played less than 50 minutes this season, didn’t face a single shot in the first seven minutes of the game but wound up with 35 saves before the night was out.
Even the USA goal provided Terrier fans with good news: It was scored by Jason Lawrence, a Saugus, Massachusetts native who will play for BU next season.
“It was a tough weekend for our guys: two highly rated teams in the country and two great programs in Maine and BU,” USA Coach Ron Rolston said. “Tonight I was happy with our guys’ effort. I thought we competed well and into the third period gave ourselves a chance to win the hockey game and be in the hockey game. We worked hard tonight as a group, offensively and defensively, and we played for each other. That’s a key for us.”
Terrier Coach Jack Parker thought that his team let up after outshooting the U-18 team 9-0 in the early going. “I think that got us out of our sync,” Parker said. “We thought that this was going to be too easy, and then they came back and played pretty well in the second period. We probably let up a little bit, and all of a sudden [junior winger David] Van der Gulik gets hurt, and our first line’s gone. Just a shoulder-pretty sure he’ll be back for BC-but we didn’t want to take any chances.”
Freshman forward Chris Bourque had already been sidelined due to a knee injury suffered while playing alongside the U-18 team’s top scorer-who is also the hottest uncommitted recruit-centerman Phil Kessel. Fellow freshmen Peter MacArthur and Brian “Boomer” Ewing didn’t play because of the flu.
Defensemen Bryan Miller and Tom Morrow were rested, giving freshmen Dan McGoff and Kevin Kielt their first significant playing time at defense since the game against the BU alumni earlier this season. McGoff has seen significant time at left wing and some action as a seventh defenseman this year.
“I’m glad we played another game tonight,” Parker said when asked about playing an exhibition at this point in the season. “I wonder about exhibition games-whether or not it’s good for the psyche of the team. A couple things were good: Some guys were lineup who don’t usually get a chance to play. [Mike] Eruzione [Jr.] gets his first chance to play in a BU uniform; that’s nice, against the USA team.
“I thought Gillespie played real well. Obviously our No. 1 goalie is John Curry, but it’s nice to know Gillespie’s improved a lot in things we’ve asked him to do. He’s really listening to our goaltending coach. He’s very quick, and now he’s playing the position much better too.”
Parker also liked what he saw out of his untested position players. “We saw that none of them get rattled in games-that’s good,” Parker said. “I thought that [Craig] Sanders played well. I really noticed him out there making some plays. That’s how Monaghan got in the lineup. I thought Eruzione, [Pat] Percella, and Sanders all played better in the game than they have in practice.
“Sometimes that’s not true; sometimes they get rattled, but that wasn’t the case tonight. And we’re pretty confident in Kielt; he’s a good defenseman, although he did cross-legged a couple times when their forwards were coming down.”
Despite Terrier domination on the shot chart early on, the U-18 team scored first. Jason Lawrence buried a rebound of a slapshot from the right point.
“I chose BU because I grew up seeing the tradition, living in the Boston area,” said Lawrence. “I just wanted to play for the pride of BU. But the arena adds a new element to it, and I think it’s going to be real fun.
“I started off a little shaky because I was nervous playing against the guys and in the new rink, but once I got going the atmosphere was incredible. When they fill the house, it’s going to be great.”
“We’re real excited,” Parker said of Lawrence’s arrival on campus next season. “It’s nice to see him get a goal in our rink-soon to be his rink.”
BU freshman Brian McGuirk scored on a high wrister from the right-wing faceoff circle at 13:14.
Kessel-a sensation at the World Junior Championships-showed flashes of brilliance, stealing the puck from Sean Sullivan early in the second period and racing in for a shorthanded shot. Kessel acknowledged that he has visited Wisconsin and plans to visit Minnesota, but he also said that he is definitely considering BU as well.
Lawrence-who plays right wing on the line Kessel centers-has tried to convince him to come east. “I’m trying; I’m pushing him, but we’ll see what he decides.”
The Terriers took the lead at 13:48 of period two. On the power play, Kevin Schaeffer’s slapshot from the right point was tipped by McConnell, but USA goalie Jeff Frazee made the initial save. With Lawrence practically tackling him, BU freshman Ryan Weston crashed the net to bury the rebound for the eventual game-winner.
Roche made it 3-1 in the third, beating Frazee stick side on a 15-foot wrister that pinged the post on the way in. Roche’s power-play goal rounded out the scoring in the waning minutes.
“They’ve played well against a lot of college teams,” Parker said of tonight’s adversaries. “For young kids, they’ve got a nice power play; they move the puck. They play hard. They’re a pretty big team for a young team, too-good size and good skating ability too. So it’s a good contest that way; there’s just no emotion involved because nothing’s at stake.”
BU plays a big home-and-home series with archrival Boston College next weekend.
