CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — The Northeastern men's hockey team earned a Hockey East point on Friday night at Kelley Rink but ultimately lost 3-2 in overtime to Boston College.
The Huskies (2-2-0, 0-2-0 HEA) battled back from an early two-goal deficit thanks to goals from sophomores
Miguel Marques and
Amine Hajibi and 45 saves from senior netminder
Lawton Zacher. The Eagles (2-3-1, 1-0-0 HEA), however, found the winner in the extra frame to open the season series with a win.
The Eagles started quickly in the first, tallying two goals in the first 2:24, the second coming on the power play. Northeastern could not respond in the first, but Zacher rebounded to make 12 saves in the period.
The Huskies answered the call in the second and tied the game a 2-2. At 4:12, Hajibi found senior
Tyler Fukakusa in the left circle, who tried to slide the puck over to Marques in the slot. Marques never got a stick on it, but the puck ricocheted off his right skate and past Eagles goaltender Louka Cloutier (16 saves).
It appeared the Eagles would extend their lead back to two goals with 10:49 remaining in the second, but after the Huskies challenged for offside, the call was reversed and the score remained 2-1. In a chippy second period that saw eight penalties, Northeastern would equalize during a 4-on-3 opportunity. Utilizing four forwards, the Huskies cycled the puck to Marques, who put a shot on net. Sophomore
Jacob Mathieu battled in front of the crease and sticked the rebound to Hajibi, who tucked it into the net for his second goal of the season.
Zacher shone in the second period as well, upping his save total from 12 to 31 entering the final frame. He made several sprawling stops on Eagles scoring chances to keep the game level.
The third period was tightly contested as the Huskies killed off two penalties and Zacher stopped 13 shots to keep the game level. Junior
Joe Connor almost netted the winner for the Huskies on a 2-on-1 opportunity with 48 seconds remaining, but the puck bounced over the goaltender and then trickled over the top of the net.
In overtime, Boston College's Dean Letourneau netted the winner at 49 seconds.
Northeastern won the faceoff battle 30-29, with Fukakusa and Mathieu each winning 10 faceoffs. Marques tallied his third goal of the season and is up to seven points in four games with Northeastern. Hajibi's goal was his second of the campaign.
The Huskies will return to Conte Forum on Saturday night for a 7 p.m. puck drop on NESN and ESPN+
