The No. 16 University of Connecticut men’s ice hockey team faces a familiar opponent in No. 15 Boston University this week. The first game takes place Thursday in Storrs, before the weekend matchup on Saturday in Boston.
The Huskies are 2-2-0 after splitting a weekend series against No. 12 Colorado College. They have already faced two ranked opponents and are preparing for another.
UConn’s all-time record against BU favors the Terriers 18-12-3, winning six of their previous 10 matchups. The Huskies claimed the most recent win back in March after a 5-3 victory on home ice.
The Terriers are 3-1-0 on the season after sweeping Alaska, before splitting a series against Vermont. Sophomore Tynan Lawrence leads BU in goals this season with three — adding two assists in the opening four games. Another young star, Ryder Ritchie, added two goals for the Terriers in the three games he has played. The two sophomore forwards are a dangerous duo with the Huskies defense looking to shut them down on the attack.
Freshman duo Will McIsaac and Charlie Morrison lead UConn’s defense in blocks. Their main task will include shutting down the Terriers offense who’s already taken 131 shots this season, scoring nine. They also have limited opponents to 23 shots a game, helping junior goaltender Mikhail Yegorov accumulate 87 saves on the season with a .956 save percentage.
UConn has split the time in front of the net between their two underclassmen goaltenders. Sophomore Kam Hendrickson is 2-0-0 on the season, saving 69 shots for a .958 save percentage. Freshman goaltender Veeti Louhivaara is 0-2-0 so far, allowing seven goals off 60 shots.
The Huskies have taken 134 shots this season and scored nine of those. However, they have allowed 134 shots and 12 goals from their opponents. They average the same number of shots per game as their opponents, relying more on the goaltenders to keep them in the contest.
Connecticut’s junior forward duo, Ethan Gardula and Kaden Shahan, lead the team in goals with two apiece through the first four games. The Terrier’s senior defenseman, Aiden Celebrini, is the lone standout in blocked shots for Boston, leading the way with seven and adding on assist on the season.
This is the only regular-season matchup between UConn and Boston University this year, and their rivalry always provides fans with an instant classic. The opening game takes place at the Toscano Family Ice Forum on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. Two days later, Boston hosts the Huskies at 7 p.m.