Kenny Roche recorded his first career hat trick to lead No. 16 Boston University to a 5-3 win over Merrimack College in Hockey East action Friday night at Lawler Arena.
Junior Matt Byrnes, sophomore Derek Pallardy and freshman Rob Ricci scored for the Warriors, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game at three before BU forward Peter MacArthur scored the game-winning goal — his eighth goal of the season — at 16:32 of the third period. Roche completed his hat trick with an empty net goal at 18:58.
Merrimack took a 1-0 lead 2:35 into the game when Pallardy took a cross-ice feed from senior Matt Johnson and wristed a shot past BU netminder Karson Gillespie. The Terriers (11-8-2, 9-6-1 HEA) tied the score at one with a power-play goal by Roche at 14:39 of the first. MacArthur took a shot from the left point that was knocked down in front and chipped in by Roche.
In the second period, BU took a 2-1 lead at 1:48 when Jason Lawrence converted a pass from Chris Higgins into his sixth goal of the season. The Terriers extended their lead to 3-1 with a power-play goal by Roche off a feed from MacArthur at 5:30 of the second.
Merrimack head coach Mark Dennehy changed goalies following Roche’s second goal, replacing starter Jim Healey with freshman Patrick Watson. The move seemed to spark the Warriors as Byrnes first goal of the season brought the team to within a goal at 3-2. Pallardy broke down the left side of the ice and fed a cross-ice pass to Byrnes, who rifled a slap shot past Gillespie at 11:34.
The Warriors completed their comeback when Ricci tallied a power-play goal early in the third, chasing Gillespie from the net. John Curry came on for the Terriers and made three saves to earn his ninth win of the season.
BU finished the night with a 35-15 edge in shots, as Watson finished with 17 saves while Healey made 13 saves. The Terriers were 2-for-6 on the power play while the Warriors scored on one of their five chances with the extra man.
