Eiserman Sparks Terriers to Stunning 7-4 Victory Over Vermont with Hat Trick Brilliance!

BOSTON – Led by freshman Cole Eiserman’s inaugural collegiate hat trick, the No. 15/13 Boston University men’s ice hockey squad concluded a weekend sweep of Vermont with a 7-4 victory on Saturday evening at Agganis Arena.

Eiserman scored in every period and leveled a 1-0 deficit late in the first period before the Terriers secured a lead in the second period that they maintained. The newcomer also contributed an assist for a career-high four points, while Eiserman’s linemates, junior Quinn Hutson and senior Jack Hughes, both recorded one goal and two assists. 

BU entered the third period with a 3-2 advantage and went on to score three consecutive goals in under two minutes to establish a four-goal lead just 5:59 into the period. The visitors netted two late goals before junior co-captain Ryan Greene found the net into an empty goal to conclude the match at 7-4. 

Sophomore Jack Harvey added a goal and an assist while freshman Cole Hutson and sophomore Gavin McCarthy each registered two assists. Sophomore Tom Willander, freshman Kamil Bednarik, graduate student Brehdan Engum, and sophomore Shane Lachance each contributed one assist each.

Senior Mathieu Caron made 26 saves for the Terriers, who improved to 11-7-1 overall and 7-3-1 in Hockey East play. 

HOW IT OCCURRED

• Will Zapernick provided Vermont a 1-0 lead with 4:45 remaining in the first period.
• Eiserman equalized at the 17:48 mark of the period, releasing a shot from the bottom of the right circle that surpassed Alex Mangbo within the left post.
• Quinn Hutson granted the Terriers their first lead of the evening merely 1:15 into the second period. Hughes kept a play alive in the UVM zone, passing the puck to Eiserman. Hutson, having lost his stick earlier in the shift, dashed to retrieve it in the slot and positioned himself perfectly to receive a pass from Eiserman and directed the puck into the back of the net.
• Eiserman then increased it to 3-1 at the 5:55 mark of the second. He delivered a no-look pass from behind the goal line back to Hutson, then circled around the net to the right post. Hutson located Eiserman, who was wide-open for the straightforward finish.
• Massimo Lombardi narrowed the deficit to 3-2 midway through the second, which is where the score stood at the start of the final 20 minutes.
• The Terriers’ surge in the third period initiated at the 3:07 mark when Hughes maneuvered through the UVM defense and shot the puck through Mangbo’s pads during a BU power play.
• Eiserman then completed his hat trick with a power-play goal at the 5:15 point. Lachance won an offensive-zone faceoff back to McCarthy, who then passed the puck to Eiserman at the top of the right circle. He unleashed a one-timer past Mangbo for his 12th goal of the season.
• Harvey made it 6-2 just 44 seconds later when he gathered a rebound off a Cole Hutson shot, skated into the slot, and fired home his second goal of the weekend.
• Vermont managed two goals to reduce it to a two-goal game and pulled its goalie for an extra attacker to attempt to get back within one.
• Bednarik and Engum were excellent as shot blockers during the 6-on-5 situation and eventually combined to transition the puck to Greene for the empty-netter that sealed the win.

GAME NOTES

• BU extended its winning streak against Vermont to nine matches and has averaged 6.0 goals per game in its last six victories over the Catamounts.
• The Terriers went 4-for-9 on the power play this weekend and managed to go 6-for-6 on the penalty kill throughout the two victories.
• Eiserman achieved the first Terrier hat trick since Quinn Hutson netted three goals in a 6-1 victory against Vermont on March 9, 2024.
• Eiserman also registered the second four-point game of the weekend by a BU player, as Greene achieved one goal and three assists in Friday night’s triumph.
• Quinn Hutson (3g, 2a), Greene (2g, 3a), and Harvey (2g, 3a) all accumulated five points in this weekend’s sweep.
• Hughes scored in both matches and concluded with four points this weekend on two goals and two assists.

UP NEXT

• The Terriers are set to encounter No. 17/16 New Hampshire in a home-and-home arrangement kicking off on Friday, Jan. 17, at Whittemore Center.
• BU will return to Agganis Arena on Saturday (Jan. 18) to host the Wildcats at 6 p.m.