By: Josh Brown
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The No. 10 Northeastern men’s hockey team came into Saturday night’s game against No. 15 Boston College with the best power play (26.1 percent) in Hockey East and the fourth best in the nation. It did not take long for the Huskies to put it on full display.
First period power play goals from Jeremy Davies, Dylan Sikura and Adam Gaudette put the game away early, and the Huskies (10-5-1, 8-3-0) cruised to a 5-2 win. Northeastern ended the night with four goals on the man advantage.
Cayden Primeau got the start in net for the Huskies, making 26 saves on the evening.
The win is Northeastern’s first at Conte Forum since March 7, 2008.
Davies got the action started for the Huskies, scoring his third goal of the season at the 7:27 mark of the opening period. Just moments after Garrett Cockerill rang a shot off the right post, Davies collected a Sikura pass in the high slot and sent a rocket past the stick-side of Boston College (9-7-2, 9-3-0) goalie Joseph Woll.
Less than seven minutes later the Huskies extended its lead to 2-0. Although Woll made the initial save on a Nolan Stevens shot, Sikura poked away at the puck in front of the net and jammed it home.
Matters only got worse from there for the Eagles. David Cotton was whistled for hooking and Aapeli Rasanen was assigned a game misconduct for hitting from behind at the 14:51 mark, giving the Huskies a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. Adam Gaudette quickly took advantage, beating Woll on a snipe from the high slot to put the Huskies up 3-0.
Northeastern would tack on another goal just over three minutes into the second period. Trevor Owens sent a weak shot on net from just above the left faceoff dot that avoided traffic and sailed into the top right corner. Ryan Edquist took over goaltending duties for Boston College following the goal.
Sikura continued the onslaught at the 7:33 mark, extending the Northeastern lead to 5-0 with his second power play goal of the game. After the Huskies won a draw in their own offensive zone, Sikura skated right into the slot and beat Edquist.
The Eagles would answer with two goals late in the period to cut the Huskies lead to 5-2. Michael Kim netted his fourth goal of the year at 14:23 and Christopher Brown struck on the power play at 16:56.
The two teams combined for just 15 shots in the third period, and Northeastern skated away with its third win in the month of December. It is the first time the Huskies have reached the milestone since 2011-2012.
The Huskies will be back in action next Saturday when they take on Merrimack at Lawler Rink. WRBB will have complete coverage, with pregame beginning at 6:45 p.m.
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