BU Shows it an Grind Out Wins, and Who's the Best Husky? All Things Hockey East

Although it was anything but easy, No. 12/13 Boston University was able to walk away from a series sweep over Merrimack with two, nail-biting victories last weekend. In the first matchup, sophomore Cole Hutson scored the game-winning goal 31 seconds into overtime, after his freshman teammate Jack Murtagh had tied up the game with 3:30 left in the third period with a nice toe-drag shot, energizing the Terrier faithful and sending them home happy with a 3-2 victory.

BU was down for much of the game, not specifically on the scoreboards, but on themselves, as the energy was not what one would expect from a team sputtering, looking to get back on track.

“I think tonight there were shades of how good we can be, some shades of how poorly we have been playing,” Hutson said. “We have to find a way to keep an even keel and take it into tomorrow and get another win.”

“At the end of the day, it’s a big win for us,” Terriers coach Jay Pandolfo said. “We’re down 2-1 in the third period and find a way to tie it late. It would have been nice to win it in regulation but still we needed a win and found a way.”

HUTTY'S THE OT HERO!!!

Watch on ESPN+: https://t.co/zPnleSUUyJ @hockey_east | @espn pic.twitter.com/90zaO5FaNx
— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) November 8, 2025

In the second matchup, BU showed the Warriors both their offensive might and their defensive backbone, as BU held off the late rally and won 5-4 on the road. After a slow start in the first period, both teams started lighting the lamp in the second, as the two exchanged goals frequently and often until the final horn sounded. Sophomore Sacha Boisvert led the way for the Terriers, finishing the game with four assists. Up 5-2 with less then three minutes to play, the game should have been locked down, but Merrimack went down swinging, scoring two goals, but unable to find the equalizer. Once again, BU was able to secure a crucial three points.

“Overall, I really liked our effort from start to finish,” Pandolfo said. “We got a 3-0 lead, but then kind of got away from it with some penalties that cost us. I will say, its a great response from the team.”

BU looked great in the series, as their speed and skill really showed with flashy goals and timely defense that few can replicate or handle to stop. Merrimack also looked good despite the tough losses, and showed that on any given night the Warriors can hang with the best teams in college hockey. Their tenacity and determination are what makes them a hard out.

Was it a turning point for Boston University. Perhaps. No one's doubting the talent on the roster, but previous to the overtime win the Terriers had just one win over their previous seven games. They'll look to build on the momentum at No. 10 Quinnipiac on Saturday. As for Merrimack, the Warriors will have to rebound quickly against another quality Hockey East foe in Providence in a home-and-home weekend series.

Maine and UMass both walk away with a needed win

In an eventful series, the then-No. 13/12 UMass Minutemen and No. 6 Maine Black Bears battled to a split, with both sides showing their full potential in each game.

Throughout the first matchup, Maine was all over UMass, controlling the puck, tempo and their physicality all over the Minuetmen in their building. To highlight this, by the end of the game, Maine had amassed 54 shots on goal, while Massachusetts was only able to muster 16. Junior goalie Jackson Irving tried his best, with 48 saves on the night, but it proved too much for his incredible play to overcome. The player responsible for the Minutemen’s dominance was sophomore Josh Nadeau, who’s four-point, hat-trick night, propelled Maine to a 6-2 victory.

"It's probably as poorly as we've played in my 10 years here at UMass," Minutemen head coach Greg Carvel. "I need to figure out why we don't come out ready to compete in games and thought I was pretty well prepared. We knew what Maine was going to bring and that's what they did. We just had no competition tonight, no pushback. I feel bad, [goalie] Jackson Irving gets a chance to play, and we didn't play very well in front of him. But he's about the only guy tonight that came ready to play and kept us in it for a little while. We left him out to dry too often. Very poor showing by our team."

UMass redeemed itself by coming out and flipping the script on the Black Bears for an impressive 4-0 victory. Sophomore Daniel Jencko was one of the keys to success, scoring two goals and registering an assist in the matchup. However, he was not the star of the night as Irving made 38 saves and recorded his second career shutout, getting the win he deserved the previous night.

"That was the response we needed," Carvel. "Much different team tonight. We did some soul searching as a group and guys responded very well. I'm very happy for Jackson Irving. He had a hell of a weekend. I know he gave up some goals last night, but they probably should have scored a lot more last night. I'm we could hold on and get the shout out for him. He's an outstanding young man and you rarely see the locker room that is exciting and happy for an individual."

For Maine, what could have been a potential sweep turned into a reminder that they still have a lot to work on. Freshman Justin Poirier cannot carry the offensive load by himself, sophomore Albin Boija, who made 45 saves in the series, cannot do likewise in net. When a team commits 13 penalties in a series they should count themselves lucky to win at least once, especially against a ranked team in UMass.

With that being said, in the grand scheme of things, both teams have a real, legitimate opportunity to win Hockey East this season. However, look for a clear difference to develop as the season progresses.

UMass is the more complete team, as players like junior Jack Musa, freshman Vaclav Nestrasil and a variety of their teammates have been great so far, as six players have eight or more registered points. However, is this their potential, will this be the standard for the year? Now yes, this is a great team, but it feels as if, especially after this series, that this Maine team is just barely stretching the surface of what it can really be this season. The aforementioned Poirier and Boija are the main players, but who else will step up? If this team can see the production that seniors Owen Fowler and Thomas Freel are capable of, the Black Bears will certainly be the favorites to hoist the gold in March.

Battle of the Huskies

This weekend, No. 11 Northeastern will square off against No. 14 UConn in a home-and-home series to determine who is the elite Husky of Hockey East this season. With this being their only scheduled meeting this season, (outside the Beanpot), a lot will be riding on this series for both teams, as each have a lot to prove.

For Northeastern, it's looking to continue the winning ways and maintain a spot in the rankings. Winners of six of the last seven, NU is one of the hottest teams in the country with wins over ranked opponents like UMass, Denver and twice against Boston College.

The catalyst behind its success is junior Lawton Zacher, who has been one of the best goalies in all of the country so far this season. Zacher anchored the Huskies to a 5-1-0 overall record during October. He closed October with a .952 save percentage, turning aside 178 shots, collecting two shutouts and finishing with a 1.51 goals against average. His play not only helped the Huskies get a national ranking, but it also earned him the Hockey Commissioner's Association Goalie of the Month for October. However, he isn’t the only goalie in this matchup having success.

UConn senior goalie Tyler Muszelik has been a rock between the pipes, rivaling the play of Zacher. Despite only winning four games in nine appearances, Muszelik has done all that has been asked of him to keep his team in the game. His 270 saves, which are second in Hockey East, and .928 save percentage, third best in the league, is more then a testament to the elite play he is showcasing on the ice.

Could a goalie steal this series? Absolutely. Neither team has a player with six goals this season. Northeastern is the only team that has at least one player with seven assists. It should truly be a defensive battle between these two Huskies. Beyond the immense impact of the netminders, the team that can capitalize on the powerplay opportunities will likely be the winning Husky in this showdown.

This Week’s Hockey East Awards

Player(s): Boston University forward Sacha Boivert had a career high four assists to propell the Terries to a 5-4 victory against Merrimack. He is one of four players in the NCAA to have notched four assists in one game this season and is the only Hockey East player to have achieved the feat this year. The other award winner was Maine forward Josh Nadeau, who had three goals and an assist against No. 13/12 UMass on the road.

Rookie: Boston College goalie Louka Cloutier led BC to its first series sweep over the season of Vermont, making 49 saves over the course of the two games. He also secured his first collegiate shutout.

Defender: Providence defenseman Alex Rybakov earned this award after scoring his first collegiate goal against UConn. This, coupled with five blocks, helped his team secure the 4-1 victory.

Goaltender: Massachusetts goalie Jackson Irving started both games against No. 6 Maine. The junior posted a .934 save percentage for the series, making 85 stops with a 3.01 GAA and earned his second collegiate shutout in a 4-0 victory.

Beyond the Blue Line

In addition to his Hockey East monthly award for October, BU sophomore Cole Hutson also won the HCA National Defender of the Month Award. ... Seven out of eleven teams are nationally ranked this week, with Maine being the highest at No. 8 and BC being the lowest at No. 18. ... Merrimack takes on No.15 Providence, don’t be shocked if an upset or two occurs in this series. ... No. 12 UMass takes on No. 18 BC in what is sure to be a high-scoring series. ... Is BC deserving of it's rank? The 4-4-1 start paints a different picture. ... New Hampshire and Lowell head to New York to take on RPI and Union College in non-conference action over the weekend after splitting a series last week. ... Will Lowell start a winning streak with this trip? ... Can No. 13 usurp No.10 Quinnipiac to rejoin Maine inside the top 10? ... No. 8 Maine takes on Vermont in a rare opportunity to set the standard of hockey the Black Bears want to play the rest of the way. ... Vermont has scored 11 goals as a team thus far; the same number that Northeastern has allowed all season.