The men’s hockey team suffered two losses Feb. 24 and 25 against Boston University in Hockey East action at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
The first game of the weekend was a 5-0 Boston University victory. The second game, played on Vermont’s senior night, resulted in a 3-2 overtime loss for the Catamounts.
The team’s record stands at 6-25-1 (3-21-1 HEA) following the series.
The series represented the last home games of the regular season for the Catamounts, and the final career home games for the team’s five seniors.
Seniors Lance Herrington, Matt Marshall, Drew MacKenzie, Rob Madore and captain Brett Leonard were honored by the team’s Senior Night ceremonies Feb. 25.
“I couldn’t be any more proud of our team. It’s hard to go in the locker room afterwards on senior night and see the emotions, I couldn’t have asked anything more out of our guys,” head coach Kevin Sneddon said after the overtime loss. “They gave it everything they had in the tank from start to finish. It’s just unfortunate that’s the way the game ended because I thought we deserved a better fate than how it ended.”
In the first game of the series, neither team was able to score in the first period. The stalemate didn’t last long, as Boston University went on to score three goals in the second period, and two in third.
Junior Sean Escobebo scored twice for the Terriers in the game.
The second game of the series, although it ultimately held the same outcome, played out very differently.
This time, Vermont took an early lead at 3:06 of the first period when sophomore Connor Brickley scored with a wrist shot.
Later in the period, at 15:42, MacKenzie handed the puck off to sophomore Nick Bruneteau, who proceeded to pass the puck to junior Sebastian Stalberg across the crease, where Stalberg knocked it in.
The Terriers fought back at 9:43 of the second period, when sophomore Sahir Gill backhanded the puck past Madore to put his team on the board.
Vermont held the 2-1 lead until 18:35 of the third period. It was here that BU junior Wade Megan scored from the tip of the crease, bringing the game into overtime.
At 3:02 of the overtime period, first-year Alexx Privitera scored off a deflection to win the game for the Terriers, 3-2.
“I thought it was two teams going head to head, good teams find a way to win and they certainly did,” Sneddon said. “I think the seniors went out with class despite the result not being the way we wanted it tonight. I think they were able to leave Gutterson with their heads held high and a lot of pride.”
Vermont will travel to Boston to face Boston College in a two-game series March 2 and 3. This will be the final series of the regular season for the Catamounts.
