DURHAM, N.H.- Hockey East action is happening all over the region and the number 17th ranked University of New Hampshire (UNH) men’s hockey team (14-9-1, 7-6-1 Hockey East) hosted two games this past weekend.
The first game of the weekend happened on Feb. 2 against the number three ranked Boston University (BU) men’s hockey team (17-7-1, 12-4-1).
The Terriers came out hot at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto Group Center when they scored the first goal of the game not even two minutes in. It happened when the Terriers were able to break out to a 3v1. A pass from the front of the net would go to Jack Hughes and he would tip it in from there. This would be the lone goal of the period.
In the second period BU would score three more goals before the Wildcats would tally a point.
Finally, at the 11:49 mark in the second period sophomore forward Kristaps Skrastins became UNH’s glimmer of hope.
Senior assistant captain Harrison Blaisdell sent a pass to the front of the crease. Skrastins was able to receive it, spin around and score the puck at the top right corner. Marty Lavins, freshman forward, was also credited with an assist in the play.
Before the second period could end BU snuck in another goal to make the score 5-1 going into the third period.
Less than a minute and a half into the third period UNH added another goal to the board when junior forward Robert Cronin gathered a rebound from a shot from freshman forward J.P. Turner. Cronin shot the puck into the bottom right of the net.
Shortly after BU scored their sixth and final goal of the game, BU received a two minute penalty for tripping.
Junior forward Liam Devlin was able to capitalize off of the power play when junior defenseman Colton Huard took a shot from the blue line. Devlin was able to tip the puck past the BU goalie.
The game would end with the Wildcats falling 6-3 to the Terriers. UNH had a regular season record of 1-2 against BU this year.
The next night, Saturday, Feb. 3, the Wildcats would bounce back when they beat the Merrimack Warriors 3-1.
During the first minute and a half of the game, junior defenseman Luis Linder took a shot on goal. Junior forward Robert Cronin was able to take control of the puck and score for the Wildcats.
The score would stay 1-0 throughout the first two periods. Finally, with about eight minutes left in the game Cronin was able to steal the puck from the Warriors. He passed the puck up to Blaisdell, who scored into the bottom left of the net.
Turner would score the last goal of the weekend for the Wildcats during Merrimack’s empty net. Merrimack scored their only goal of the game with two seconds left in the game.
The ‘Cats will travel to Boston College on Friday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. and then Merrimack College Saturday, Feb. 10 also at 7 p.m. Both games can be watched on ESPN+.
