The University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team fought an uphill battle but could not prevail against Boston College, the number one ranked team in the country on Friday, Feb. 7.
Seven minutes into the first period, UNH’s Kristaps Skrastins lost the puck in front of UNH goalie, Jared Whale, where BC’s Gabe Perreault gained control. Between the teamwork of Whale and assistant captain, Nikolai Jenson, UNH regained possession of the puck. The first penalty called was on the Wildcats for roughing and Head Coach Mike Souza challenged the call, but it the call stayed giving Boston College a power play.
Head Coach Mike Souza commented, “In college you lose a time out. I mean, obviously we could have used the time out towards the end of the game, but it’s not like the NHL where it’s a minor penalty… I looked at it afterward, I guess the refs probably got it right, but matter of perspective, some might’ve saw it differently.”
The Wildcats ended the period on a power play and the game remained scoreless.
UNH went into the second period with 1:30 left in the power play. In the first minute, the Wildcats pressured BC’s goalie, Jacob Fowler, quickly. Luke Reid shot the puck, but Liam Devlin missed the rebound for a goal. UNH was not able to score on the power play. With the Eagles on a power play, Whale kept the net locked up. He had three incredible saves within seconds of each other, one even bouncing off the top pole of the net. The Eagles gained a 5-on-3 advantage for 30 seconds after another penalty was called on UNH but could not produce a goal. With 6:13 left in the period, Cy LeClerc got the puck from Ryan Conmy and flipped the puck from the right of the blue paint, getting behind Fowler. The Wildcats gained a power play with three minutes left in the period. The Eagles, Mike Posma, got a breakaway and charged toward Whale, but was he able to stop the puck. Boston College tied the score 2:10 left in the period and a minute left on UNH’s power play by Gabe Perreault from a breakaway and a shorthanded goal to the right side of the net.
2:04 into the third period the Wildcats gained the lead. Devlin passed the puck to Conmy, who shot the puck into the bottom left corner. The Eagles were quick to respond with a goal of their own 2:25 into the period by Will Vote, off a pass from Lukas Gustafsson. The Eagles took the lead for the first time of the night 6:15 into the period. Whale was behind the net to pass the puck, but did not get enough momentum under the puck to get it to another UNH player and was tipped in by on an open net by Gentry Shamburger.
Conmy commented,” He’s been a rock for us all year, so you know things like that happen and we’re always going to have his back no matter what.”
Boston College extended their lead with another goal 7:43 left in the period by Posma, who took advantage of the cluster in front of Whale to flip the puck into the right side of the net.
Souza said, “I thought one of our points of emphasis, you can’t give them second opportunities. You just can’t because they make you pay.”
UNH gained a power play with around six minutes left, giving them a chance to close the deficit but could not produce. The Wildcats took Whale out with 2:03 left in the period for a 6-to-5 advantage.
Conmy said, “ At the end of the day we need to find a way to get over the hump, and just keep battling.”
UNH will be traveling for two games at the University of Maine on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 and can be watched on ESPN+. The Wildcats will be back at the Whittemore Center at Key Auto on Feb. 21 against the University of Massachusetts.
