BU defeats Merrimack College, 5-2

For about three minutes during the second period of Friday night’s contest between Boston University and Merrimack College, the Terriers were playing on their heels.

For the other 57 minutes of play, the fifth ranked BU squad seemed to be skating downhill, dominating play in a 5-2 victory over the Warriors of Merrimack at Agganis Arena in the teams’ first game of conference play.

Senior wing Brandon Yip scored twice for BU, his first tallies of the young season, to lead the Terriers to their first 3-0 start since the 2001-2002 campaign. Coincidentally, the Terriers earned their third win of that season over Merrimack as well.

Sophomore forward Nick Bonino also continued his strong play, assisting on three of the Terriers goals.

In a game marked by physical play, the Terriers’ special teams shined. The two teams combined for 19 penalties, and the Terriers were exceptional short-handed. BU killed 9 of the 10 penalties they faced, including a lengthy 5 on 3 that delayed the Warriors’ first goal of the game.

The BU power play also showed good puck movement, controlling the flow of the game and shifting the momentum to their end during the man advantage. The Terriers scored on 2 of their 9 man advantages, and created quality scoring chances on most of their power plays.

Yip was especially effective on special teams, scoring both a power play goal and a short handed goal during the game.

Freshman goalie Kieran Millan played strong as well, earning his second collegiate victory in as many starts. Millan saved 23 of the 25 Warriors shots. Merrimack goaltender Andrew Braithwaite saved 23 of 28 BU shots in the game.

BU didn’t wait long to jump on the visiting Warriors, as Freshman Vinny Saponari pounded home a rebound for his first collegiate goal just 1:22 into the contest. Fellow first-year Terrier Corey Trivino also earned his first career point on the play, earning an assist.

The Terriers increased their lead to two when Yip scored on the power play at 7:07 of the first. Yip showed off some speed, skating from the corner to the top of the left faceoff circle and into the slot, putting him in position to flick a wrist shot over Braithwaite’s shoulder.

Yip would score the next Terriers’ goal as well. With the Terriers on the penalty kill, Nick Bonino took a pass from Colby Cohen at his own blue line, and carried it into the offensive zone on an odd-man rush. Bonino drew Braithwaite off his line and found Yip in front of a wide-open net. Yip buried a one-timer to put the Terriers up 3-0.

However, Merrimack would fight back, albeit briefly.

After BU killed off a long Merrimack two man advantage, Warriors’ Sophomore Chris Barton scored twice in a span of just over two minutes.

BU stumbled into the third period with a one-goal lead, but re-gained their footing thanks largely to the strong play of their young goalie. Millan made a habit of smothering rebounds and snagging pucks out of the air to keep the Terriers on top.

Luke Popko and Co-Captain Matt Gilroy added goals to seal the victory for BU in the third period.

Despite the short lapse during the second period, the Terriers played solid hockey from end-to-end against the Warriors on Friday night. Yip stepped up and showed that he can assume a position of leadership as an upperclassman on a young team when he’s needed to, and Nick Bonino continued to show that he is among the upper-echelon of players in all of college hockey.

Also making his presence felt was Freshman forward Chris Connolly. Connolly demonstrated an ability to apply controlled pressure on the fore check during one of BU’s many penalty kills. Showing speed and poise, Connolly earned more than a couple of “wow’s” from the packed house Friday night.

It is also starting to become evident that Jack Parker has a wonderful problem – he seems to have two young goaltenders that can stand up to the pressure of Hockey East competition and beyond.

Parker is sticking with his goalie rotation for now, as Grant Rollheiser will start between the pipes on Sunday afternoon against the sixth ranked University of New Hampshire. The game will be at 5 pm in Durham. UNH is also perfect on the young season, after they shutout RPI on Friday, 1-0.

BU will look to move to 4-0 on the year, and 2-0 in Hockey East play when they visit the Wildcats.

--Phil DiMartino