The No. 9 University of Connecticut men’s ice hockey team tied No. 10 Boston University in overtime on Tuesday night before dropping the shootout.
This highly anticipated top ten matchup posed major implications on the Hockey East standings, with both teams vying to improve their position with the playoffs drawing near. This was just the second time these teams have faced off this season, with UConn (17-10-4, 9-8-4) losing back in October 4-2. This game marked the Huskies sixth consecutive game coming away without a win against the Terriers (18-12-2, 12-8-2).
UConn earned an early power play after a slashing penalty by the Terriers. Second-year Joey Muldowney took a quick shot out of the face off, second-year Jake Richard scooped the rebound and flicked it into the back of the net to claim a 1-0 lead for the Huskies. Richard picked up right where he left off on Friday night, where he scored two goals including the overtime game winner against Maine. This was Richard’s 12th point in his last seven games.
“Our line is playing really well right now, I think our team is playing really well right now, we just gotta keep it going,” Richard said to ESPN+ broadcast in between periods.
The Huskies found themselves two men down after back-to-back penalties, but their penalty kill unit survived nearly four minutes of pressure from the Terriers. Boston would not be denied; after the power play ended, third-year Ryan Greene fired a perfect pass into the back post, where first-year Sasha Boumediene was able to finish the goal to tie the game at one.
Following an action-packed period one, the tempo slowed down in period two with neither team scoring. UConn had control over the puck in the period, winning 16 faceoffs to Boston’s six. The Huskies would have a chance to reclaim their lead, after a two-minute minor gave them a man advantage for the final minute and 20 seconds of the period. This time it was the Terriers penalty kill unit that got the job done, thwarting the UConn powerplay and keeping the game tied through two periods.
First-year Ethan Gardula broke the stalemate in just over four minutes into the third period, chipping the puck high over the netminder after a feed from first-year Kai Janviriya. Double penalties on UConn and Boston created a four-on-four situation. Boston first-year Cole Hutson showed off his stick skills, slipping the puck through a UConn defenseman’s legs before burying the equalizer in front of the net. The score remained locked at two apiece in regulation, sending the game to overtime.
In the overtime period, Hutson broke away and got a one on one in front of the goal again, but this time third-year Tyler Muszelik made held his position in goal and kept the game alive. Both teams were too evenly matched, leaving the game to be decided in a shootout.
Boston won the shootout 2-0, awarding them the extra point towards the Hockey East Standings. The Terriers are now just two points shy of the second place University of Maine. With the game finishing as a tie in overtime, UConn climbed to 31 points over Providence College for fourth place in the rankings. The Huskies will be back in action on Friday as they prepare for their final home game of the year against Northeastern University.
The puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the Toscano Family Ice Forum in Storrs, Conn.