AMHERST — David Quinn has said more than once this season that his team needs scoring from his entire group of forwards to get the job done offensively.
Not only do the top six skaters have to produce, but according to the No. 9 Boston University men’s hockey head coach, the other lines have to contribute from time to time as well.
That includes the Terriers’ (16-7-4, 9-4-3 Hockey East) fourth unit, consisting of senior Mike Moran, junior Tommy Kelley and sophomore Chase Phelps.
The group, not stat-sheet burners by any definition, have done the things that fourth lines usually do — chip pucks in, pin teams deep in their own zone and, as Quinn put it, “make it difficult to play against.”
But the trio, coming into a Friday night matchup against the University of Massachusetts, had combined for just eight total points. Against the Minutemen (7-17-4, 2-12-4 Hockey East), though, the line had a strong game statistically with four combined points, playing an integral part in BU’s 6-3 win.
“They’ve been hounding the puck, they’ve been possessing the puck, they got pucks to the net, they’ve made life miserable for the defensemen when they turn to go get pucks,” Quinn said. “That’s what they’re going to have to do, and they’ve done it.”
Phelps, who had not registered a goal or point since the fourth game of the season on Oct. 27 at the University of Connecticut, put the Minutemen in a tough spot early.
After receiving a pass from Kelley, Phelps took the puck around the goal line, circled the net and wrapped the puck underneath goaltender Henry Dill’s pads at the 2:43 mark of the first. Not only did it break Phelps’ goal-less streak, but it also spelled the night for Dill after facing just three shots.
Kelley was credited with the primary helper, his second point of the year. He played in only four games all of the last season, but has skated in 11 this year, bringing a different element to the table in the process.
“He’s been doing well,” Phelps said of Kelley. “He’s added a lot to our line, and we’ve got to give him a lot of credit for what he’s been able to help us with.”
Although Phelps’ goal was a strong individual effort, he said a lot of the credit for that particular score, and the overall success he had in the game, was because of the other two guys he skated with.
“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my linemates, Mike Moran and Tommy Kelley, they’re fun to play with and we work hard together,” Phelps said. “We try to create offense by going in hard on the forecheck, and kind of banging bodies.”
It was that effort that led to a goal for the line just over two minutes later. Off a good passing play with Phelps deep into the offensive zone, Moran added a goal of his own, his second of the year.
Moran, now with six points on the year, has already eclipsed his point total (five) from a season ago. The senior has added more to his offensive game this year, but Phelps said that Moran’s presence as a team leader is almost as important. Moran doesn’t wear the letter of a captain, or even an assistant, but he is still a player the team can rely on.
“Obviously he’s a senior, he’s a vet, he’s been around for a while so everyone looks up to him,” Phelps said. “He’s a go-to guy, and he’s a big, big player on the team.”
Especially with the Beanpot Tournament championship looming in just a few days, Phelps said the team is looking to win more titles, like it did last year. With more output from the fourth line, that makes winning those important games more of a reality.
“We’ve got to have everyone try to contribute as much as they can,” Phelps said, “so we can try to win as many championships as we can this year.”