BOSTON — It wasn’t the best hockey ever played on the TD Garden ice, but all four teams in Friday night’s Hockey East semifinals treated the fans in attendance to close, nail-biting playoff hockey.
Top-seeded Boston University scored with just over two minutes to play in regulation to force overtime against Providence. In the extra session, Quinn Hutson buried the game-winning goal to send the Terriers to the final. Meeting BU on Saturday night is Merrimack, winners by an identical 2-1 score, but it took the Warriors double overtime. Matt Copponi’s (Mansfield, Mass.) clincher sent Merrimack past UMass Lowell and onto the championship for just the second time in program history.
In the first game, Providence came out flying and controlled play for most of regulation. The Friars held a commanding 11-2 shot advantage after the first period. Head coach Nate Leaman’s game plan worked to perfection. The only thing PC failed to do was finish off a few grade-A chances. It was the best I saw Providence play all year. The Friars took a 1-0 lead on Bennett Schimek’s 11th of the season at the 12:25 mark of the third period. For the Friars, a valiant effort fell short, due to that being the only puck to get past Boston University junior goaltender Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass.).
Both Boston University goals came off the rush. Dylan Peterson forced overtime by tying the score, 1-1, with 2:32 to play in regulation. The overtime winner came thanks to Luke Tuch using his speed wide with Quinn Hutson driving the middle lane. The former sent a great centering feed for Hutson to redirect past Providence goaltender Philip Svedeback.
Credit to Providence for executing the game plan and creating forecheck pressure that disrupted Boston University’s usual flow. However, it’s fair to say that Friday night wasn’t BU’s best effort. Expect the Terriers to come out with more of a formidable attack on Saturday against Merrimack.
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The nightcap between Merrimack and UMass Lowell was somewhat of a snoozefest with the Warriors’ stifling defense keeping the River Hawks to just seven shots on goal through two periods.
Grad student Jordan Seyfert gave Merrimack a 1-0 lead on the best individual effort of the night. While falling down, he lifted a backhand over the shoulder of UMass Lowell goaltender Gustavs Davis Grigals with 10:26 left in regulation.
The Warriors seemed on their way to the final, but Lowell pushed hard. It finally resulted in a goal with 31 seconds left. Owen Fowler (Tewksbury, Mass.) gave a centering feed to Scout Truman who wasted no time burying the puck into the back of the Merrimack net past goaltender Zachary Borgiel.
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Copponi had a breakaway in the first overtime and one other solid chance but was unable to convert. When given a chance in the second overtime, he left no doubt. He won an offensive zone draw back to the point. He got the puck back and his initial shot was blocked. He picked it up, sent a pass to Ottoville Leppanen who gave it right back on a tic-tac-toe give-and-go. Davis Grigals had overcommitted, which allowed Copponi to put the back into what basically was an empty net.
Here are takeaways from Friday night's games.
1. Copponi has swagger. The Dexter Southfield alum plays with a chip on his shoulder and lifted Merrimack to victory. There are other local prospects who are taller, smarter and more skilled. There aren’t many, if any, who outcompete Copponi. He’s a player that all young aspiring skaters in the region should aspire to play like. It was fitting that he had the game-winner for the Warriors.
2. As I wrote Friday morning, Merrimack head coach Scott Borek deserved the Bob Kullen Award as the Hockey East Coach of the Year. He and his team will have the chance Saturday night to prove one more time this Hockey East season that the Warriors were not respected to the degree they deserved.
3. A courageous coaching move came before the puck dropped. Borek elected to keep his goaltending rotation going and start Borgiel over New York Rangers prospect Hugo Ollas, who has back-to-back shutouts to his resume. Expect Ollas to get the nod against BU in the final.
4. In a day and age where it’s become increasingly difficult to get fans engaged in sports, Merrimack has found a way to buck the trend. The entire administration at the school with the smallest enrollment in Hockey East deserves credit for getting a large contingent of fans to the TD Garden. It’s not a stretch to suggest that there might not have been anyone left on the North Andover campus tonight.
5. Boston University has had to battle a number of injuries on its blue line down the stretch. Senior captain Dom Fensore was a game-time decision and classmate Case McCarthy suffered a horrifying upper-body injury in the third period. It will be interesting to see how the Terriers’ defense can hold up Saturday night.
6. One thing is for certain. Freshman sensation Lane Hutson will log a ton of minutes. His skating and hockey sense gets you on the edge of your seat when he’s on the ice.
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7. Dylan Peterson is an NTDP product who had high expectations bestowed upon him when he arrived on Commonwealth Avenue. He’s not lived up to the expectations, at least offensively. However, I’ve liked how he’s played in a number of my viewings of BU this winter. He had three assists against Vermont in the quarterfinals and had the goal that forced overtime.
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8. Looking ahead to Saturday night, a Merrimack win ensures two Hockey East teams go dancing in the NCAA Tournament. If Boston University wins, the Warriors need results from other conference finals to go their way. Merrimack fans should be rooting against Colgate in ECAC Hockey, Northern Michigan in CCHA, and Colorado College in the NCHC. In other words, the Warriors are hoping for Harvard, Minnesota State and St. Cloud to win.
9. Merrimack swept the regular season series with 4-1 and 4-3 wins over Boston University. The Warriors defeated UMass Lowell for a third straight time and the Terriers made it three in a row this season over Providence. Beating the same team three times is difficult, even if both Merrimack and BU accomplished the feat Friday night. I’d like to pick Merrimack, but I see BU winning its 10th Hockey East championship with a 3-1 win.
