The fifth-ranked New Hampshire Wildcats cruised from start to finish on Sunday at Agganis Arena, breaking the program's shutout record less than two minutes into the first period and scoring twice in the same stanza to earn a 3-1 victory over the host and No. 11 Boston University Terriers for the second time this season.
UNH posted wins in each of its previous three games without allowing a single goal and set a new program-record shutout streak of 204:40 with just an additional 92 seconds to open the Sunday matinee. Sophomore Casey DeSmith made an impressive 45 saves in the contest and was in goal for 203:32 of the shutout streak to set an additional school benchmark. The Rochester, N.H. native made double-digit saves in each period, including 17 in the third, to keep the Wildcats ahead for good.
Junior Kevin Goumas put the visitors on the board 11:34 into the game as he collected the puck off a turnover and beat Matt O'Connor, who ultimately dropped just his second game of the season, despite making 33 stops between the pipes. Wildcat rookie Maxim Gaudreault doubled the lead by depositing a loose rebound in front for his first-collegiate goal at the 14:10 marker.
The Terriers would be the offense to stop UNH's record-breaking streak, however, as a pair of the team's outstanding rookies combined for the score at 4:40 of the second period. Charlestown native Matt Grzelcyk carried the puck into the offensive zone and around the masterful Wildcat defense, only to see his shot stopped, but Needham's Danny O'Regan was on the spot in the slot for the rebound.
Things were quiet until the final tick of the game as Goumas iced the visitors' fourth-consecutive victory and eighth of the season with an empty-netter with literally 0.1 seconds remaining, accounting for the final two-goal margin.
BU recorded 17 shots in both the second and third periods and held a 46-35 advantage in the game overall, but went 0-for-7 on its final two stanzas of power plays and was unable to find the tying goal.
Joshua Kummins is the Hockey East beat writer and a weekend editor for SB Nation Boston. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKummins.