March 19, 2023
Terriers Overcome Injuries and More to Win Hockey East Title
by Jashvina Shah/Staff Writer (@icehockeystick)
BOSTON While Boston University’s bench looked full at the start of Saturday’s Hockey East championship game, it was not.
The Terriers may have left the TD Garden as champions, but they lost several players to injuries over the two-day tournament.
BU had to overcome all of that and did, dramatically, scoring a third period goal to tie Merrimack in the Hockey East championship game, before freshman Hobey finalist Lane Hutson scored the game winner early in overtime.
“I’m kind of lost for words a little bit,” first-year BU coach Jay Pandolfo said. “I will say I’m really proud of our group. These guys have been so resilient all year long. It’s made my job really easy. It’s been a lot of fun to coach. And I know we’re not done yet.”
Of course, all of this may still take its toll in the NCAA Tournament, which is now just a few days away.
Before puck drop on Saturday, the Terriers were missing senior defenseman Case McCarthy, up and about after his hit Friday night but sidelined for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone. They were also missing Wilmer Skoog, who was suspended for a boarding hit in Friday’s win over Providence. Captain Domenick Fensore was already playing hurt; just greenlit during warmups before the semifinal.
Jay O’Brien took Skoog’s place at center with Ethan Phillips sliding up to the wing. Lachlan Getz, who did not play on Friday, took the extra defensive spot.
McCarthy, after his evaluation in a local hospital, was back on his feet and with the Terriers in the locker room and in the stands.
“It was good to see him,” O’Brien said. “He texted us actually last night, just checking in and letting us know what was going on. That was definitely one of the scariest moments. … It was great to see him smiling and he came in and said, ‘Go get em.’ We were playing for him tonight and all the other guys who were out too.”
McCarthy also announced the starting lineups for BU.
“That was important for our guys to see that he’s okay,” Terrier head coach Jay Pandolfo said.
In the first period, Fensore took a hit along the boards that took him down. He stood finally and was able to skate off on his own, but he went straight to the locker room. Fensore did return in the first…
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