BOSTON -- UND opened the college hockey season Friday night the same way it ended the last one -- unsuccessfully trying to chase down a highly skilled team from Boston.
This time it was Boston University, not Boston College, but the Terriers delivered the same end result.
Nick Bonino scored twice and added an assist to give the host of the Ice Breaker Invitational a 5-1 victory in front of a somewhat sparse home crowd of 3,753 at Agganis Arena.
UND, which lost to Boston College 6-1 in last season's Frozen Four semifinals, dropped a season opener for the first time under fifth-year coach Dave Hakstol and will try to bounce back at 3:30 today against Massachusetts.
"For me, it's quite simple," Hakstol said. "(The Terriers) played good, strong, tough team defense, won the majority of one-on-one battles and finished their opportunities.
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"There are no excuses for us. I don't care if it's the first game of the year or the 20th game of the year. We got out-competed in a lot of areas. They won the one-on-one battles. They played better tonight."
Sioux freshman goalie Brad Eidsness had a rocky first career start, allowing five goals on 32 shots, but he didn't have a lot of help.
The Terriers scored once on an odd-man rush, once on a backdoor play and once when Bonino was left all alone in the slot. Colin Wilson (goal, assist) also scored on a blind, turnaround shot from the circle and Bonino banked one off of Eidsness from behind the goal line.
On the other side, Boston University freshman Kieran Millan was strong in his first career start. Millan made 22 saves, highlighted by a glove stop on Matt Watkins midway through the third period.
By then, UND was in trouble. The Sioux allowed three goals early in the second period and never threatened.
"We played well in the first eight to 10 minutes of the game," Sioux senior forward Brad Miller said. "After that, I can't think of any real positives that stick out in my head."
The turning point came in the opening minute of the second.
Miller seemed to give UND a spark when he easily buried a rebound of a Joe Finley point shot just 21 seconds into the period. That tied it at 1. But Boston University scored twice in the next 38 seconds to regain momentum and the lead for good.
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"We got a goal early and then they got two awfully quick," Hakstol said. "That tells me that mentally we weren't where we need to be."
Offensively, UND had its chances. Boston University gave the Sioux eight power plays, but UND didn't capitalize on any of them. In fact, the Sioux only had five shots with the extra man, as they rotated three power-play units to keep fresh.
"They did a great job pressuring us and not giving us time with the puck," Sioux forward Ryan Duncan said. "And we just didn't execute."
Boston University, which finished second in Hockey East last season but missed the NCAA tournament, was pleased with its opener.
"I watched (UND's exhibition) game and I knew they were very, very quick," Boston University coach Jack Parker said. "I was pleased to see that we could keep up with them and maybe set the pace ourselves."
Unlike the last loss to a Boston team, UND doesn't need to wait six months to get back at it.
"That's the great thing about college hockey," Miller said. "We don't even have to wait until 7:30 tomorrow. We get out here in the afternoon and get right back at it."
Notes: David Toews (minor injury) is not on the trip to Boston. Mario Lamoureux, Ryan Martens and Corey Fienhage also were scratched. . . .The Sioux are expected to start senior Aaron Walski in goal this afternoon. . . .The five goals are the most UND has allowed during a regular-season road game since Oct. 28, 2006 when it defeated MSU-Mankato 8-5. . . .UND's last loss in a regular-season opener was in the first game in the new Ralph Engelstad Arena in 2001. The Sioux dropped that game 7-5 to Minnesota.
