Perfect No More: BU Falls to UNH in Penalty Filled Contest, 2-1

The new NCAA two referee system and the BU Terriers aren’t getting along.

However, until their matchup with the University of New Hampshire on Sunday, their aggressive tendencies were yet to catch up to them. But it finally cost them their perfect record on Sunday, as BU took nine penalties and they paid for it, as UNH cashed in with two power play goals. BU has now committed 19 penalties in their last two games alone.

The Wildcats defeated the Terriers by a count of 2-1 at the Whittemore Center on Sunday afternoon. The loss marks BU’s fourth consecutive defeat at the hands of UNH dating back to last season. It also dropped BU from fifth in the national polls to sixth. With the win UNH vaulted from sixth to fourth nationally.

BU is now 3-1-0 on the year, while the Wildcats remain undefeated at 3-0-0.

Forwards Joe Pereira and Brandon Yip have been the biggest penalty offenders thus far, taking a combined 11 penalties during the Terriers’ first four games. The two also seem to have a knack for finding their way into the box at the same time.

Pereira spent four minutes in the sin bin in the first period alone on Sunday, and the ‘Cats grabbed a one-goal advantage at the tail end of his second indiscretion. With big-man Eric Gryba sitting next to him, Pereira watched as right winger Phil DeSimone beat rookie goaltender Grant Rollheiser.

UNH would strike again at 5:32 of the second. With assistant captain Brian Strait in the box, sophomore star James van Riemsdyk showed some speed as he beat Matt Gilroy down the ice on a breakaway and beat Rollheiser again to give UNH a 2-0 lead.

The goal came on UNH’s only shot of the second period.

Despite taking the loss, Rollheiser played well, making 22 saves, and keeping BU in the game with clutch saves throughout the third period. He stayed cool under pressure during a penalty kill with about five minutes to go in the game.

BU did make a run, but UNH Junior Goalie Brian Foster was too much. Foster made 31 saves, including 17 in the second period. His only blemish on the day came with BU on the 5 on 3. Colby Cohen and Colin Wilson took advantage of three ‘Cats penalties in a two minute span, setting up Jay Lawrence for a goal to cut the lead in half.

Despite some good chances, Foster would shut the Terriers down for the remainder of the game, showing that UNH has little to worry about minus last season’s MVP Kevin Regan. Rollheiser spent the final minute and a half watching from the bench as BU sent an extra skater on searching for the equalizer. But the UNH defense held off BU by blocking several crucial shots in the waning moments of the game.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Terriers this weekend. They will clash with the #5 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday at Agganis Arena. Michigan dropped from second in the nation after splitting a two game set with CCHA Rival Northern Michigan over the weekend.

Coach Jack Parker has not yet made it clear which of his goalies will be between the pipes against the potent Wolverines’ offense. However, conventional logic would lean toward sticking with the one on and one off rotation, which would give Kieran Millan the start.


--Phil DiMartino