PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Junior goaltender Drew Commesso stopped all 39 shots he faced to backstop the No. 7 Boston University men's ice hockey team to a 2-0 victory at Providence on Saturday night at Schneider Arena.
BU (24-10-0, 18-6-0 HE) closed the regular season on a four-game win streak, capped by this weekend's sweep of Providence (14-13-7, 9-9-6 HE). Senior Jamie Armstrong's goal with 1:34 remaining in the first period proved to be the winner, with classmate Sam Stevens adding an insurance marker 3:36 into the third period. Stevens also assisted on Armstrong's strike, as did freshman Lane Hutson, who had a hand in both goals. Sophomore Ty Gallagher recorded his 17th assist of the season on Stevens' goal.
Commesso was sensational on Saturday, making 15 saves in the first period to keep the Terriers in the game before stopping 12 shots in each of the final two frames. This was his second shutout of the season and his second consecutive road shutout; he made 23 saves in a 3-0 win at Vermont on Feb. 25.
The Terriers and first-year head coach Jay Pandolfo finished the regular season with 24 wins, the most by a Terrier squad entering postseason play since the 2008-09 team posted 27 wins in the regular season en route to a national title. This year's group also matched the 08-09 team with 18 conference wins en route to the Hockey East regular-season title, though the 2022-23 roster did so in three fewer games. Both teams closed Hockey East play with a weekend sweep of Providence that concluded with a shutout win over the Friars.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Despite being outshot, 15-5, in the opening frame, the Terriers got on the board first with just 1:34 remaining in the frame. Hutson wristed the puck towards goal, but it went wide. The puck caromed off the boards and Armstrong was first to the loose puck, quickly tucking it inside of the left post before Austin Roden (16 saves) was able to get back into position.
- Commesso made a sequence of point-blank saves midway through the second stanza to keep the Terriers' lead intact.
- After a scoreless middle period, Stevens gave the Terriers a two-goal cushion early in the third when his shot from the right circle snuck under Roden's pads.
- Providence made a push with the extra attacker, but Commesso and the Terrier defense dug deep to preserve the shutout.
GAME NOTES
- Commesso has not allowed a road goal in the last 128:57 dating back to the third period of the Terriers' 5-3 win at Vermont on Feb. 24.
- He has won four straight starts against the Friars and is a perfect 2-0-0 at Schneider Arena.
- Hutson and senior Matt Brown finished the year tied for the league lead in points, with Hutson totaling 12 goals and a league-best 31 assists while Brown scored 15 goals and was second to Hutson with 28 assists.
- Stevens finished the weekend with two points in each victory over the Friars; he collected two assists on Friday.
- BU was 4-for-4 on the penalty kill on Saturday.
- The Terriers' streak of 10 straight periods with a goal came to an end during Saturday's second stanza.
UP NEXT
- BU, the top seed in the Hockey East Men's Tournament, will host a quarterfinal game on Saturday, March 11, at Agganis Arena.
- The Terriers will face the lowest remaining seed from Wednesday's Opening Round contests.
