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Western Michigan hockey washed out of NCAA tournament in 5-1 loss to Boston University

The Hudson River flows south from Vermont to New York, never touching New Hampshire.

The Hutson river, however, was running strong through Manchester, New Hampshire, as second-seeded Boston University flooded Western Michigan’s defense and washed the Broncos out of the first round of the 2023 NCAA hockey tournament on Thursday, 5-1.

Freshmen Lane and Quinn Hutson each scored and added an assist to send the Terriers to their first regional final since 2015. BU will face the winner of Thursday’s late game between top-seeded Denver and Cornell at 4 p.m. Saturday for a spot in next month’s Frozen Four, set for April 6-8 in Tampa, Florida.

WORCESTER - Broncos' Jason Polin plucks a pass out of the air as Northeastern plays West Michigan during the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey Regionals at the DCU Center on Friday.
WORCESTER - Broncos' Jason Polin plucks a pass out of the air as Northeastern plays West Michigan during the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey Regionals at the DCU Center on Friday.

THE SQUADS:What you need to know about Western Michigan vs. Boston U.

THE BRACKET:Michigan hockey to face Colgate in NCAA tournament

Upon further review

The Broncos appeared to have gotten on the board first when Hugh Larkin stuffed a loose puck in the crease past BU goalie Drew Commesso with just under 12 minutes remaining in the first period. As WMU celebrated, however, officials signaled a goal review. A few minutes later, the goal was waved off, as it was ruled that Commesso had frozen the puck a second before it sprung loose and Larkin begin swiping at it.

Finally, with 4:36 left before intermission, the Terriers officially struck first. Ethan Phillips dug the puck out of the right corner and sent it to Jay O’Brien in a crowd. O’Brien then made a nice backhand pass to BU’s Lane Hutson, who was waiting near the left circle. The finalist for the Hobey Baker Award (college hockey’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy) sent a quick wrist shot between the legs of WMU goalie Cameron Rowe for a 1-0 lead and Hutson’s 15th goal of the season and 48th point (most among college defensemen).

Bites, then barks

The Terriers made it a two-goal game just under nine minutes into the second period, as a three-on-one rush left Rowe with few options. BU captain Domenick Fensore, carrying the puck deep into the zone on the left side, sent it to Quinn Hutson, Lane’s older brother by two years, and the freshman buried a wrister from the right circle

Less than two minutes later, BU showed why it has the No. 3 scoring offense in the nation, striking again. Phillips sent the puck from his spot on the far side of the left circle, putting it right in Matt Brown’s wheelhouse for a one-timer in the slot that zipped past Rowe, just 92 seconds after Quinn Hutson’s goal.

But WMU wasn’t done. After Brown failed to capitalize on a two-on-none breakaway, the Broncos brought the puck up, with Ryan McAlister sending a wobbling puck to Jason Polin. The nation’s leading goal scorer, who was driving up the middle, got just enough of it to send it trickling past Commesso with 7:36 left in the second for his 30th goal this season, keeping the Broncos in the game.

But BU would not be denied, making it a three-goal game again with just under three minutes left before the second intermission. Jeremy Wilmer sent a pass from below the blue line to Wilmer Skoog, waiting in the left circle; he buried another one-timer for his 15th goal of the season.

Double trouble

Less than two minutes into the third, the game appeared on the verge of a rout, as Luke Grainger (goalie interference) and Aidan Fulp (slashing) were whistled for penalties 1:06 apart, giving BU a five-on-three for nearly a minute. But the Broncos were able to kill off both despite a clinical approach by the Terriers that controlled the puck for nearly all of the two-man advantage.

Late in the third, however, the Broncos weren't able to keep the Terriers out of the net a final time, as Phillips scored on an empty net with 2:26 left in the game. He finished with a goal and two assists.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2023 NCAA hockey tournament: WMU eliminated, 5-1, by Boston U.