Box Score  | Season Stats

Postgame video highlights (courtesy of NESN)

Postgame comments (Jim Madigan, Vinny Saponari and Kevin Roy)

BOSTON -- The Northeastern men's hockey team (7-10-2, 4-8-2 HEA) used six different goal scorers, including senior captain Vinny Saponari's second-straight game-winning goal against his former club, to defeat archrival No. 9 Boston University in a 6-5 shootout on Friday night at Agganis Arena.

Leading 5-2 entering the third period, NU surrendered three straight goals before Saponari's game-winner on a backhand from the near side. The Huskies received multi-point efforts from rookie sensation Kevin Roy (1-2-3), sophomore Adam Reid (1-1-2) and Saponari (1-1-2). Senior Garrett Vermeersch and sophomore Dax Lauwers each tallied two assists in the game.

The Huskies held a 38-34 edge in shots on goal for the game and converted one-of-four chances on the power play. BU attacked on the power play all night, sinking three on six chances to climb back into the game late.

Senior netminder Chris Rawlings stopped 29 shots to elevate to 7-6-1 on the season while BU goalie Sean Maguire stopped 32 shots.

Northeastern took the Terrier faithful out of the game early on a sharp wrister from senior Robbie Vrolyk just 2:03 into the contest. Reid cleared it out of the zone to Vrolyk in the neutral zone and the speedy winger was off to the races with a Terrier in pursuit. Before the BU defenseman could catch up, Vrolyk released a hard slap shot that bounced off Maguire's glove straight up into the air and as he went to look for, the disc had already crossed the line for a 1-0 Huskies' edge.

Junior Braden Pimm and rookie Colton Saucerman each took penalties at 2:48 and 4:33 of the first stanza, respectively, and each infraction cost the Huskies on the penalty kill.

Boston University won the draw and quickly set up shop in NU's end. Evan Rodrigues fed Danny O'Regan to Rawlings' right and quickly snapped it over to Matt Nieto on the near post. Nieto banged home the one-timer dish to knot the game up with the power play strike at 4:21, 1-1.

After Saucerman took a seat at 4:33, BU wasted no time getting the crowd back into it with another power play tally from Garrett Noonan 15 seconds after NU's penalty. Cason Hohmann set up the play from the near side and hooked Noonan up with a wide-open wrist shot from inside the left circle that beat Rawlings for the 2-1 lead at 4:48.

Before the first period concluded, Northeastern regained momentum with two quick tallies 41 seconds apart to grab a 3-2 lead heading into the first intermission.
Vermeersch won a battle in the corner and rimmed the puck up to Lauwers on the blue line. Lauwers trigged and bounced it off of Maguire but Reid was in position and on his second whack, roofed the puck past Maguire to tie it up, 2-2, at 17:26.

On the ensuing exchange, Roy pounced on a Terriers' turnover in front of Maguire and put Northeastern ahead, 3-2. Boston University whiffed on a clearing attempt and Roy wheeled around the net on the forecheck, gathered the disc and plowed it to the back of the net at 18:07.

Northeastern gained a two-goal advantage after Noonan and Sean Escobedo were called at 6:05 and 6:53, respectively, to give the Huskies 1:13 of a 5-on-3 advantage in the second stanza.

The Huskies worked with all the empty room and finally worked it past Maguire at 8:03. Ferriero worked the puck into Roy on the post and after his shot, a group of skaters descended onto the goalmouth and Pimm managed to push it over the goal to put NU ahead, 4-2.

Ferriero separated Northeastern even further with an amazing goal at 16:21 to make it a 5-2 affair.

Senior Drew Ellement blocked a Terrier attempt and flung the puck out to senior Steve Morra on the halfwall. Morra redirected the puck to Ferriero instride and the junior crafted a beautiful deke around Alexx Privitera and beat Maguire low on the glove side.

The Terriers needed an early goal and got one from Rodrigues 58 seconds into the third frame. Danny O'Regan stripped the puck off Northeastern's clear and kicked it over to Rodrigues in between the circles. Rodrigues picked his spot and beat Rawlings up high on the blocker side to cut into the Huskies' advantage, 5-3.

Boston University inched closer with another Rodrigues play at 4:41. BU won the draw and Matt Grezlyck passed over to Noonan who let one fly towards Rawlings. The puck found its way on the goalmouth and Rodrigues crashed the net and nudged it over the line to make it 5-4.

Lauwers was assessed a roughing call at 6:21 and the Terriers tied it with their third power play marker of the contest at 6:36.

Danny O'Regan benefitted from a great set up on the behalves of Rodrigues and Nieto. Rodrigues carted the puck around the net to Nieto and after the initial shot from Nieto, O'Regan backhanded in the rebound in traffic to cinch it, 5-5.

The teams would trade chances throughout the middle part of the third period, with BU holding a 12-11 edge in shots for the frame. It wasn't until the final three minutes of regulation where NU went up for good as Saponari connected on his fifth goal of the season on a loose puck in front off a shot from Roy.

Northeastern continues its weekend against Beanpot foes tomorrow night No. 2 Boston College with a 7 p.m. puck drop at Matthews Arena. The game will be broadcast on Comcast 288 in Massachusetts on the Live Well Network.

Tomorrow night, the Huskies will participate in the seventh annual Hockey East Skating Strides program presented by Coca Cola. Entering its seventh season, the Hockey East Skating Strides program has raised nearly $200,000 for various breast cancer charities, including a record $45,215 total in 2012. At the same time, the program has garnered interest in the sport, all across the conference, with increased attendance at, and awareness of, the women's ice hockey programs at all eight member institutions.

Also, tomorrow night, you can sign up to be an organ donor with the New England Organ Bank to help save lives. With almost 117,000 people waiting for life saving organs and a growing wait list, it becomes imperative we are able to address the increase in demand.  Join us and sign up to be an organ donor, on January 19th in the lobby at Matthews Arena before, during and after the 7 p.m. men's hockey game vs. Boston College.  The first 75 people to sign up will receive a free "Heaven Can Wait" T-shirt. By enrolling in the Organ Donor Registry, you¹re taking a powerful step towards helping to save and improve the lives of others. Enrollment is easy - just stop by the Organ Donor table in the Matthews Arena lobby and register.

Game Notes
• Senior captain Vinny Saponari has scored the last two game-winning goals against his former club. The Powder Springs, Ga., native netted the walk-off winner in overtime against the Terriers in the season finale last season before marking the game-winner with 2:03 left in regulation this evening. Saponari has scored seven game-winning goals in his career and three as a Husky. Tonight's marked his first of the season.
 
• Northeastern's last regular season victory at Agganis Arena occurred on March 5, 2011 (4-3) before the Huskies knocked off BU in the 2011 Hockey East quarterfinal round. The last time Northeastern has won consecutive regular season games against the Terriers dates back to Jan. 3-17, 1989. NU beat NU, 6-4, on Matthews Arena on Jan. 3 before taking out the Terriers, 4-1, on Jan. 17 at BU.
 
• Northeastern's six goals at Boston University are the most on Terriers' ice since Feb. 28,  2004 and most ever at Agganis Arena.
 
• Kevin Roy tallied his seventh multi-point game of the season and matched a season-best four-game point streak with a goal and two assists in the win at BU. The Lac-Beauport, Quebec, native has accounted for nine points (3-7-10) in his last four outings.
 
• Cody Ferriero has registered eight points (7-1-8) in his last four games and matched a career best four-game point streak.
 
• Adam Reid attained his first-career multi-point game in his 52nd-career outing with a goal and an assist at Boston University. The Chino Hills, Calif., native netted his eighth-career goal on Friday.
 
• Garrett Vermeersch posted his second multi-point game of the season and first since his trip to Providence on Nov. 16. The Macomb, Mich., native has notched 12 multi-point games in his career.
 
• Defenseman Dax Lauwers secured his first-career multi-point game with a pair of helpers in the 6-5 victory.
 
• Senior assistant captain Robbie Vrolyk scored his second goal in three games after tallying NU's first goal of the night. Vrolyk also scored against Bentley on Jan. 5.
 
• Senior Steve Morra collected his first point of the season and second of his career.  The Bristol, R.I., native's first-career point occurred at Providence on Oct. 20, 2010.


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