BU Hockey is Back! (Week 1 Preview)
The women host Minnesota in their home opener, while the men welcome a new foe and old foe to Agganis to open their season
The defending Hockey East Champions welcome Frozen Four team Minnesota, while the National Runners-Up host LIU and RPI (exhibition).
Women’s
The women host the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the first time since 2016 (October 3rd/4th 6pm/4pm).
Minnesota
(2-0-0, WCHA (2nd): 0-0-0)
The Terriers entered the series after a 4-4 exhibition tie (SO Win) with Concordia, Luisa Welcke, Lola Reid, Lexie Bertelsen, and Clara Yuhn all scored in the game.
Minnesota comes in red-hot after a big home series with fellow Maroon and Gold team, Boston College, winning 7-1 and 11-0. Grad Student forward, Abbey Murphy record 4 goals and 5 assists on the weekend including a hat trick in game 2.
Last season, the Scarlet and White opened their road slate with a pair at Ridder Arena, dropping both (0-1, 2-5). In the first game, BU held Minnesota scoreless until a power play in the last two minutes of the third led to their demise when the team’s leading scorer Abbey Murphy scored with 1:20 to go in the game. In the second game, The Terriers kept things tight for the first 34 minutes of the game before the Gophers erupted for 3 straight goals.
The last time Minnesota paid a visit to BU in 2016, the Terriers earned their first and only win in a 6-5 OT thriller over the then #2 Gophers, Natalie Flynn recorded the OT GWG.
The Gophers return just 1 of their top 5 scorers from 2024-25, leading scorer Abbey Murphy (33-32—65). Goalie Hannah Clark returns after a stellar first season for the Maroon and Gold (2.36 GAA/.904 SV%).
Three of the four players to record a point vs. the Gophers last season return for the Terriers: Lilli Welcke (1g), Riley Walsh (1g), Lola Reid (1a).
Newcomer goalie, Michelle Pasiechnyk, faced Minnesota in one game during her time at Clarkson in a Quadruple OT game in the 2024 National Quarterfinal. Pasiechnyk made 61 saves, only allowing 2 goals in 124:29 in goal en route to her last win as a Golden Knight as Clarkson fell to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Frozen Four. She would earn NCAA Goalie of the Year honors at the end of the season.
Records
1-7-0: vs. Minnesota (0-2-0 under Tara Watchorn)
1-1-0: vs. Minnesota at Walter Brown Arena
12-5-3: in season openers (1-1-0)
4-3-1: in season openers at Walter Brown Arena (0-1-0)
Stats
The game will be the Terriers’ first home game vs. a WCHA team since facing Minnesota on December 10th, 2016 (6-5 OT (W))
BU has won 4 of their last 6 games vs. WCHA teams at Walter Brown Arena dating back to 2011
This weekend will be their 8th and 9th game at Walter Brown Arena, as a ranked team against a top 3 opponent They are 4-1-2 in such games
Men’s
The men welcome first time opponent Long Island University Sharks (October 4th, 7pm) and old time opponent RPI Engineers (October 5th, 5pm (exh)) to open their 2025-26 campaign.
Long Island University
For the first time ever, the Terriers will face off with the Sharks of Long Island University. LIU is the first independent school, BU has faced since Arizona State on January 8th 2022 (5-2 W). The Sharks are the newest program that the Terriers have faced, having started their program in 2020-21.
The Sharks finished the 2024-25 season a respectable 20-12-2. With wins vs. Notre Dame, Vermont, and a sweep of Yale. LIU’s top 3 scorers Carter Rapalje, Austin Brimmer, and Josh Zary transferred out after coach Brett Riley took the head coaching job at Ferris State—Rapalje and Zary joined Riley at Ferris. Sophomore JR Perdion (4-14—18), Isaac Lambert (7-10—17), Onni Leppänen are the (7-10—17) are the top returns. Brett’s cousin, Brendan Riley, son of former Army Head Coach Brian, takes over as head coach of the Sharks after spending four years as an assistant at AIC.
BU hopes to start the season strong returning top contributors Cole Hutson (14-34—48)—NCAA Rookie of the Year—and Cole Eiserman (25-11—36), both of which will wear an “A” for the Terriers. Gavin McCarthy follows in his brother Case’s footsteps to captain the Terriers. Jack Harvey rounds out the leadership group also an assistant captain.
The Terriers bring in some exciting newcomers, including North Dakota’s top scorers sophomore Sacha Boisvert (18-14—32)—NCHC Rookie of the Year—and senior Owen McLaughlin (5-25—30). Additionally, BU brings in their first player from the CHL Ryder Ritchie who finished 3rd on the team in points with 61 with the WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers.
Records
70-25-8 in season openers (3-0-0 under Jay Pandolfo)
68-27-7 in home openers (3-0-0)
Stats
The Terriers have won 5 of their last 6 “first games” vs. new opponents
RPI
The RPI Engineers return to Agganis Arena for the first time since October 18th, 2013 (1-3 L) for an exhibition with the Terriers.
Like the Sharks, the Engineers have a new head coach, with Eric Lang joining the team after leaving AIC due to its reclassification to DII.
RPI brings in a host of new transfers along with the coaching change, including former Terrier Jack Gorton. Tyler Wallace (14-12—26) joins from Niagara. Grad student Dovar Tinling (10-10—20) and sophomore Jagger Tapper (8-12—20) are the Engineers’ top returners. If you want a more in-depth look at the new look RPI, check out our friends over at the Field House:
Records
35-30-3 vs. RPI
18-14-1 vs. RPI at home
Stats
Jay Pandolfo scored a goal vs. RPI at Walter Brown Arena on November 6th, 1993 (2-4 L)
