BOSTON, Mass. - Junior Chris Connolly scored both a power-play and shorthanded goal to lift the No. 16 Boston University men's ice hockey team to a 5-2 victory over Harvard at Agganis Arena on Saturday night. With the win, the Terriers improved to 10-5-6.
After Connolly scored a power-play goal in the first period, sophomore Wade Megan gave BU a 2-0 lead early in the second frame. Harvard then halved the advantage, but the Terriers responded with goals from Connolly, senior Joe Pereira and sophomore Justin Courtnall, who scored his first career goal. The Crimson scored midway through the third stanza to round out the scoring.
BU outshot the Crimson by a 37-35 margin. The Terriers were 1-for-5 on the power play, while Harvard was 0-for-4. Junior Kieran Millan turned aside 31 shots, while senior Adam Kraus, who replaced Millan late in the third period, made two saves.
The Crimson had the better of the play in the opening minutes, but the Terriers got settled and then converted on the first power-play opportunity of the contest.
From the right circle, Connolly one-timed a cross-ice pass from freshman Adam Clendeing at the 11:41 mark, just 29 seconds after Harvard's Danny Fick was whistled for holding. Junior Corey Trivino also assisted on the play for his fifth point in the last three games.
BU took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and then quickly doubled its lead early on in the middle stanza. On a play in transition, Megan elevated a rebound over Harvard goaltender Kyle Richter at 1:57 following a pair of saves on efforts by freshman Charlie Coyle and sophomore Sean Escobedo.
Harvard got on the board soon after the 4:02 mark of the period when Marshall Everson found the back of the net on helpers from Michael Biega and Fick.
Connolly capped his two-goal night with his first shorthanded goal since Nov. 22, 2008. The junior intercepted a pass at center ice before skating in all alone and beating Richter high to the glove side with wrister at 13:29 of the second.
BU made it a 4-1 contest just 23 seconds into the third period when Pereira tallied his team-leading ninth goal of the season. Just outside the Harvard crease, a Crimson defender lost control the puck and Pereira was right there to gather it before deking and beating Richter.
Courtnall capped the Terriers' scoring when he converted a give-and-go with freshman Patrick MacGregor with 11:56 remaining in regulation. The sophomore curled around the goal before potting his first tally in a BU uniform and, in turn, helping MacGregor collect his first collegiate point.
Harvard created the 5-2 final when Ryan Grimshaw registered a goal at 9:57 of the third with assists going to Biega and Alex Killorn.
Richter finished the night with 32 saves for the Crimson, who have now dropped 11 of their last 12 contests.
The Terriers will return to action on Tuesday (Jan. 18) when they visit No. 15 Merrimack for a 7 p.m. contest.