BOSTON -- Jon Gillies made 37 saves and Shane Luke notched two points, including the game-winning goal, to lead No. 9 Providence to a 2-1 win against No. 6 Boston University on Saturday night at Agganis Arena in front of 4,648.
Luke finished with a goal and an assist, while Mark Jankowski added the first Providence (2-3-1, 1-1-0 Hockey East) goal. Boston University (4-1-0, 2-1-0 HEA) goaltender Matt O'Connor finished with 31 saves as the Terriers lost their first game of the season.
The win earns the Friars a split in the weekend home-and-home series after BU won 4-1 at Providence on Friday night.
The Friars took a 1-0 lead at 8:57 of the first period when Jankowski netted his first goal of the season. He fed Luke down low, who jammed the puck towards O'Connor in the Terrier goal. Anthony Florentino forced the rebound back across the slot to Jankowski, who found the far side of the net for his fifth career power-play tally.
O'Connor went on to make 16 saves in the period as Providence outshot Boston University 17-5 in the frame and took a 1-0 lead to the locker room.
A few minutes into the second, Gillies made back-to-back right pad saves on Jack Eichel and Danny O'Regan to keep the Friars in front.
Just after skating two minutes of four-on-four, the Friars took a 2-0 lead at 12:18 of the second. A Noel Acciari fore-check helped create a Boston University turnover in Providence's offensive zone and Luke picked up the errant pass, skated through the slot and fired high, glove side past O'Connor for his first tally of the season.
Boston University cut the Friar lead in half at 4:38 of the third period when O'Regan knocked in a puck after a scramble in front. The power-play goal was assisted by Matt Grzelcyk and Eichel.
Ross Mauermann nearly restored the two-goal lead for the Friars at the 9:30 mark as he deked O'Connor but his backhander hit the post and crossbar before bouncing out.
The teams continued to trade chances, including a J.J. Piccinich shot that Gillies turned aside from the top of his goal crease with just under five minutes to play.
Boston University pulled O'Connor in favor of the extra attacker with 1:13 to play, but the Friar defense held as Providence posted its first win at Agganis Arena since Jan. 13, 2009.
The Friars finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Terriers were 1-for-4.
