MASSACHUSETTS SCORES TWICE IN THIRD PERIOD TO TIE BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 2-2
Darren Rowe and Marc Concannon score third-period goals for Minutemen

Senior forward Marc Concannon scored the-game-tying goal for the Minutemen

The No. 10 Boston University men's ice hockey team jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead, but settled for a 2-2 tie against UMass in its home opener on Saturday evening at Agganis Arena.

Junior Chris Connolly and freshman Matt Nieto scored for BU, while junior netminder Kieran Millan made 28 saves. The Terriers outshot the Minutemen by a 35-30 margin.

Nieto opened the game's scoring at 4:32 of the opening period with his first collegiate goal before Connolly extended the Terriers' lead with 9:11 remaining in the frame. After a scoreless middle period, UMass answered with two goals in the third stanza. Sophomore Darren Rowe halved BU's lead at 3:16 before senior Marc Concannon evened the game with 8:46 remaining in regulation.

BU went 0-for-4 on the power play but also killed off all five of the Minutemen's chances with the man advantage. In his first collegiate start, freshman goaltender Jeff Teglia made 33 saves for UMass.

The Terriers' newly formed second line of Nieto, junior Corey Trivino and sophomore Alex Chiasson got the home crowd going just 4:32 into the contest. Trivino cycled the puck to Chiasson, who from behind the net spotted Nieto streaking along the inside edge of the left circle. The freshman took the pass and roofed a shot past Teglia for his first goal in a BU uniform.

Not to be outdone, the Terriers' first line doubled the lead at 10:49. Senior Joe Pereira and freshman Charlie Coyle each battled for the puck in the corner before it got to the stick of Connolly. With Pereira screening Teglia along the right edge of the crease, Connolly flicked a wrister from the right faceoff dot that got through the traffic for his first goal of the season. Neither team got on the board in the second period, but the momentum started swinging over to the UMass side midway through the stanza.

Rowe ended Millan's shutout bid at 3:16 of the third when his shot from the top of the right circle appeared to deflect off a body and sneak inside the far post. T.J. Snyer and Rocco Carzo assisted on the play.

Under eight minutes later, Concannon slid the puck between Millan's legs from the left crease following a pass from Conor Sheary. Colin Shea also assisted on the goal.

BU had the best chance in overtime when Nieto sprung ahead of the UMass defense for a breakaway with 10 seconds left to play. His attempt sailed wide, but he drew a slashing call that bordered on warranting a penalty shot. The referees decided not to award the shot and the teams settled for the draw.

The two teams will meet again on Friday (Oct. 22) when the Terriers travel to Amherst to wrap up a week-long home-and-home series. The game, which starts at 7p.m., will be broadcast live on NESN.