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Playing at Walter Brown Arena for the first time in a decade, the #1 ranked Terriers fell to the U.S. Junior National Team, 5-2. Freshman Brandon Hickey (photo) and junior Danny O’Regan scored for the Terriers, while BU freshman Jack Eichel, skating for Team USA’s top line, scored a shorthanded goal and added an assist.
Both teams wore special uniforms for the contest. The Junior National Team’s sweaters were throwbacks to the gold-medal winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team. BU used the occasion to introduce throwback uniforms from 1949, the year the Terriers, led by Jack Garrity and Jack Kelley, first played in the NCAA tournament. [Life Magazine Jan. 22, 1951--scroll to pg. 50]
Former BU captain and 1980 gold-medal Olympic team captain Mike Eruzione dropped the ceremonial puck between Eichel and BU captain Matt Grzelcyk.
Midway through the first period with BU on a power play, the U.S. struck twice for shorthanded goals 24 seconds apart on odd-man rushes. Noah Hanafin scored
first, followed by Eichel’s hard wrist shot that beat Matt O’Connor over the shoulder.
O’Connor had a busy first period, stopping 13 shots.
Connor LaCouvee took over in the BU net in the second period and turned aside nine of ten shots, beaten only by Chase De Leo’s score off a rebound. With the score 3-0, BU broke into the scoring column with Hickey’s blueline blast, assisted by Brandon Fortunato and Nick Roberto.
After JT Compher’s third-period goal extended the U.S. lead to 4-1, O’Regan converted the rebound of a Hickey shot to draw BU within two. In the final minutes, Anthony DeAngelo, a one-time BU commit, added an empty-netter.
Impressive in his 40 minutes in goal, LaCouvee stopped 23 of 25 shots he faced.
Following the game, Eichel joined his Terrier teammates for a stick salute to the crowd (video).
Following the game, Eichel joined his Terrier teammates for a stick salute to the crowd (video).
Jack Eichel stays out to thank the crowd with his BU teammates. pic.twitter.com/edVC1ncY46
— Kat Hasenauer (@sportsgirlkat) December 20, 2014● BU Photo Gallery
● Daily Free Press recapand Eichel feature story
● Post-game interviews: Video--BU Coach David Quinn & US Coach Mark Osiecki, Jack Eichel, Danny O’Regan, Noah Hanifan
● USCHO recap
● SB Nationrecap
● NHL.com recap
● College Hockey News: Eichel shoots down rumors
Looking ahead
A trio of 2015 recruit were all over the USHL score sheets on Friday and all three finished the evening in the top 10 of USHL scorers.
2016 recruit Clayton Keller scored a power play goal and assisted on two goals to lead Team USA to a 5-0 winover Slovakia at the Four Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor. 2016 recruit Patrick Harper earned kudos for a strong effort, as the U.S. squad won its second game and landed a spot in the tournament final Saturday evening against Russia. Keller has a team-leading six points in the tournament and also tops the NTDP U17s in overall scoring with a 15-21-36 line in 25 games.
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