Five Terriers score in 6-2 rout of Merrimack

At Agganis Arena, the #3 Terriers rode a four-goal second period explosion to soundly defeat Merrimack, 6-2, in the first game of its quarterfinal series with the Warriors. BU, which outshot its guests by a 46-19 margin, received goals from five players with freshman standout Jack Eichel netting a pair. Senior assistant captain Evan Rodrigues, with a goal and three assists, earned the game's first star.

Game 2 of the series begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday and will air on both NESN and TSN2.

Merrimack drew first blood on a defensive turnover eight minutes in, but BU responded on the power play with sophomore Robbie Baillargeon ripping home a one-timer from the top of the left circle.

Danny O’Regan’s 20^th off a slick pass from Rodrigues gave BU its lead and then Eichel notched his 19^th, converting the rebound of a Rodrigues shot. Three minutes later, Rodrigues scored his 18^th followed by Matt Lane’s seventh goal, with Brien Diffley assisting on both.

BU upped the toll to 6-1 with its second power play goal of the night, as Eichel scored his 20^th from Rodrigues and Ahti Oksanen. Merrimack’s Jace Henning, who scored the visitors’ first goal, closed the scoring with a long shot through a screen.

With Eichel and O’Regan each scoring their 20th goal, BU has three 20-goal scorers for the first time since the 1994-95 national championship team’s Mike Grier (29), Jacques Joubert (29) and Chris O’Sullivan (23).

BU is 15-0-0 in games when Eichel, who now has 58 points, has scored a goal. The team also is 15-0-0 when leading after two periods.

With Rodrigues’ 50^th point, BU has two players who have reached the half-century mark for the first time since Colin Wilson and Nick Bonino did so in 2008-09.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

● Post-game comments; Coach David Quinn; Rodrigues & Eichel

● Video Highlights

● Daily Free Press recap, Defense shines

● Boston Hockey Blog:   Pluses & Minuses;
● USCHO recap

● Boston Herald recap
● Eagle Tribune recap
* HockeyEastOnline recap

Looking ahead

2016 recruit Vas Kolias scored his third goal of the season in Youngstown’s 4-2 win over Sioux City. 2015 recruit Robert Carpenter had an assist for the Musketeers.

2016 recruit Clayton Keller (photo) scored his first two goals for the NTDP U18s since being called up from the U17s in a 6-2 win over Bloomington. 2015 recruits Jordan Greenway and Charlie McAvoy each contributed an assist.

2015 recruit Sean MacTavish scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist, as Lincoln edged Tri-City, 4-3.

Women’s Team

#5 Terriers are in Wisconsin to take on the #4 Badgers in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.

The teams last played early last season in Vail, Co., with Wisconsin dominating BU, 5-0. In 2011, the teams met in the NCAA championship game with the Badgers winning, 4-1.

BU, which has won four straight Hockey East tournament championships, is led by senior captain Marie-Philip Poulin with 54 points and juniors Sarah Lefort (50) and Kayla Tutino (37).  BU stats

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, Audio, BadgerTV (free)

● Coach Brian Durocher discusses his squad (video)   

● SB Nation preview (with Kat Hasenauer Cornetta Q&A)

● HockeyEastOnline preview