BOSTON - The Boston University men's ice hockey team wrapped up the first half of its season with a 4-1 loss to visiting Bentley on Saturday evening at Agganis Arena. Sophomore Matt Lane scored for the Terriers, who move to 7-8-2 on the year.
Bentley scored the lone goal of the first period before adding two more tallies early in the middle stanza to take a 3-0 lead.
Lane redirected an offering from classmate Ahti Oksanen into the Bentley goal with 5:04 left in regulation, but that's as close as BU would get.
The Falcons (8-7-1) got a 42-save performance from senior Branden Komm while junior Brett Switzer added a goal and an assist. Junior Steve Weinstein earned a pair of assists.
Sophomore Matt O'Connor recorded 30 saves in goal for BU, which went 1-for-3 on the power play and killed off both of the Falcons' chances with the man advantage. BU held a 43-34 shot advantage.
Sophomore Derek Bacon opened the scoring midway through the first when he redirected a shot at the left circle over O'Connor's left shoulder. Weinstein took the initial shot and sophomore Michael Reardon assisted on the play.
Early in the second, BU had the opportunity to earn an equalizer on a power play, but instead gave up a shorthanded goal to allow the visitors to double their lead.
Junior Alex Kubiak took advantage of a Terrier turnover and punched the puck up to senior Jared Rickford who skated in all alone before beating O'Connor blocker side for the shorthanded tally at 1:40 of the first.
Just over four minutes later, the Falcons secured a three-goal cushion when Switzer converted from the left circle off assists from sophomore Matt Blomquist and Weinstein.
BU's goal came on the lone power-play chance of the third, as Oksanen took a pass from senior Garrett Noonan and sent a shot towards the goal from the right point. Lane was right on the inner edge of the right circle and tipped it past Komm for his fourth goal of the season.
With O'Connor pulled in favor of an extra attacker, senior Brett Gensler finished off the win for the Falcons with an empty netter at 18:02 of the third.
The Terriers will take a three-week break from their schedule for exams and the holidays before returning to action on Saturday, Jan. 4., with a visit to Harvard. Game time is set for 7 p.m.