Feb. 6, 2009
Box Score
Radio Recap
BOSTON - Vinny Saponari and Jason Lawrence scored third period power play goals to give No. 1 Boston University a 5-3 win over UMass Lowell in Hockey East action Friday night at the Agganis Arena.
The Terriers have won seven in a row and improve to 21-5-1 overall and 13-5-1 against the league. The loss snapped the River Hawks three-game winning streak. They are 12-13-0 overall and 9-9-0 in league play.
Terriers went 2-for-3 on the power play in the third period to break a 3-3 tie after 40 minutes and claim the win. Saponari got the game-winner at 10:21 of the final period with assists from John McCarthy and Matt Gilroy.
Lawrence followed with the insurance goal on the power play at 15:36. Colin Wilson and Kevin Shattenkirk picked up the assist.
BU, which never trailed in the game, took an early lead with three goals in a one minute, 51 second span early in the first period. David Worsofsky scored his first collegiate goal at 7:34. Joe Pereira followed with his second of the season at 8:33. And John McCarthy made it 3-0 BU with his third of the season at 9:25.
The River Hawks rallied to tie the game by the end of the second period with goals from Nick Monroe, Mike Potacco and David Vallorani. Vallorani had a goal and an assist in the three-goal comeback.
Monroe got the River Hawks on the board with his second of the year at 15:50 of the first period with an assist from Vallorani.
Potacco made it a 3-2 game with his sixth of the season midway through the second (10:08). Barry Goers picked up the assist.
Vallorani scored the equalizer at the 18:08 mark of the second from Ryan Blair. Vallorani has a goal in each game against BU this season.
Kieren Millan made 20 saves to improve to 17-1-1 on the season. Carter Hutton (Thunder Bay, Ont.) stopped 26 shots, but took the loss. He is 5-7-0 on the year.
The Terriers were 2-for-4 with eight shots on the power play. The River Hawks were 0-for-4 with six shots.
BU out-shot UML 31-23 for the game, including a 17-8 edge in the first period.
"I've really got to compliment BU," said UMass Lowell head coach Blaise MacDonald. They're a very worthy No. 1 team. They jumped out to an early lead, but we got back into the game. A good team responds like they did in the third period. They had two opportunities on power plays and they made the most of those opportunities. BU can hurt you in so many ways. They are a very tough team to beat."
The River Hawks are next in action Saturday night when they visit Massachusetts. The Terriers return to the ice Monday night when they play Northeastern in the 2009 Beanpot championship.
