STORRS, Conn. - Freshman Macklin Celebrini recorded two goals and two assists to help lead the No. 2 Boston University men's ice hockey team to a 6-1 win over UConn on Friday night at the Toscano Family Ice Forum.
With the win, BU (21-8-2, 15-4-2 HE) clinched a home game in the Hockey East quarterfinal round for the second straight season. Five different Terriers scored a goal on Friday, with freshman Jack Harvey, sophomore Quinn Hutson, junior Jack Hughes and sophomore Jeremy Wilmer all lighting the lamp. Harvey, Hughes and Hutson all added an assist to finish with two points apiece while sophomore Lane Hutson collected two assists. Sophomores Ryan Greene and Devin Kaplan, freshman Shane Lachance and graduate captain Case McCarthy secured one assist apiece.
Junior goaltender Mathieu Caron was sharp all night, stopping 26 of the 27 shots he faced for his 21st win of the season.
With the victory, second-year head coach Jay Pandolfo became the fastest active head coach in Division I men's ice hockey to win 50 games at his current school.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Celebrini opened the scoring just 6:34 into the proceedings. After gaining the offensive zone, Lachance slid the puck to Harvey on the right wing. Celebrini continued up the middle to the net and Harvey found his linemate all alone in front of the net for a one-timer that went through Arsenii Sergeev (25 saves).
- Caron came up with two big saves and Wilmer had a crucial block in the crease as he protected the open cage after a scramble in front of the net to keep BU ahead by a goal.
- Harvey doubled the lead with 3:53 left in the first. Celebrini hit Harvey with a great pass and Harvey had time to collect the puck in the slot and uncork a terrific wrist shot that sailed past Sergeev.
- Caron made a terrific post-to-post save on a 2-on-1 late in the period to ensure BU got to the intermission with its two-goal advantage.
- UConn cut the deficit in half just 2:21 into the second stanza, but Celebrini responded with a power-play goal just 1:59 later to restore the Terriers' two-goal lead.
- BU once again capitalized on a power play midway through the second, with Quinn Hutson zipping the puck past Sergeev for his 12th goal of the year.
- Hughes made it 5-1 early in the third period when he and Quinn successfully completed on a 2-on-1.
- Wilmer then closed the scoring with a nifty redirection at the 12:10 mark of the third.
GAME NOTES
- This was Celebrini's second four-point game of the season; he collected four assists against UMass Lowell on Nov. 11.
- He remains second in the NCAA with 25 goals and third in the country with 47 points (25g, 22a).
- Lane Hutson leads all NCAA defensemen with 39 points on 12 goals and 27 assists.
- Wilmer became the third Terrier this season to reach 30 points (5g, 25a).
- Hughes played in his 100th career game on Friday.
- Pandolfo is now 50-19-2 as head coach at BU.
- The teams combined for 90 penalty minutes, 56 of which were assessed to UConn.
- BU went 2-for-5 with the man advantage and killed all three of the Huskies' power plays.
UP NEXT
- BU and UConn will conclude this weekend's series on Saturday at Agganis Arena.
- Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
