Tied after 2

Hockey
Joe Meloni

UMass 2, BU 2

A Bryan Ewing power-play goal at 7:38 tied erased the one-goal lead UMass built in the first period.

The Terriers took over the game in the second half of the game after it was completely even for most of the period. But the Minutemen had their chances in the period, but wasted those opportunities.

A back-checking Michael Lecomte stripped a BU defenseman in the high slot and turned to the BU net. He waited and BU net minder Brett Bennett went to his knees. Lecomte wristed a shot by Bennett, but over the goaltender's glove and off the glass.

At 10:04 of the period, both teams had 14 shots on goal, but at the end of the second, BU holds a 20-17 advantage.

For the second consecutive game, UMass spent a lot of time in the penalty box during the second period. Senior captain Mike Kostka went off first for slashing and then for holding leading to Ewing's goal.

Junior Topher Bevis cross-checked Ewing in the corner to Paul Dainton's left and put UMass on the penalty kill again. The Minutmen killed the penalty off, but UMass coach Don Cahoon stressed the need for his team to stay out of penalty kill situations to save the legs of his most-talented scorers. In a game like this, tied entering the third period, that could seriously hurt the Minutemen.

BU has done a good job staying out of the box, committing one penalty in the game and none in the second period.

More From the Press Box after the third period...