By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

Before the start of the No. 13 Boston University hockey team’s quarterfinals series against Northeastern University, BU coach Jack Parker said that it would be determination, not skill, that would win games for his team. It is fitting, then, that it was his gritty third and fourth line players who stole the show for the Terriers on Friday night, as BU beat Northeastern 5-2.

The fourth line gave the Terriers energy all night long, hassling Northeastern on the forecheck and backcheck, battling on the boards and fighting to get the puck to the net. The third line also played well Friday night, finishing with a team-high combined plus-five. Senior co-captain Joe Pereira, a long-time gritty workhorse for the Terriers, turned in a solid performance with two goals and six shots on net.

“Playoff hockey games, you need third, fourth line players to play big,” Pereira said. “You know what you’re going to get out of your first two lines. But third, fourth line. You got to do your job. Right now they’re contributing which is helping the team win.”

Sophomore forward Justin Courtnall played especially well for the Terriers, and his strong effort greatly helped his line find the back of the net. In the first period, he worked hard behind the net to fight off Northeastern’s Jamie Oleksiak and knock a puck loose. Junior forward Kevin Gilroy picked up the puck and cycled to the front of the net, where he roofed a shot past Northeastern goaltender Chris Rawlings, who was screened on the play by sophomore forward Ben Rosen.

“I’ve got to give credit to my fourth line both nights,” Parker said. “In the last little while here, they’ve been playing real hard. Certainly Justin Courtnall is getting more confident and playing very well. Kevin Gilroy has four points in his last four games, a couple of goals involved. That line has really helped us out.”

Gilroy’s recent offensive success is a sweet pay-off to what has been a difficult season for the junior. Gilroy struggled all year to find playing time, and he had been splitting time on the fourth line with sophomore forward Ryan Santana through last weekend. With his playing time constantly in question, Gilroy looked to his older brother to keep him going.

“At first getting out of the lineup in the beginning of the year was a little rough,” Gilroy said. “I kind of let it get to me and I wasn’t playing well. My brother Matty was kind of going through the same thing with the Rangers at the time. And then he got into a game and one of his quotes was he was playing the game he loves and it’s not that hard to come back from it. I took it to heart and then I just refocused myself and got back in.”

But it is not just the fourth line that has been doing the dirty work for the Terriers. Sophomore forward Alex Chiasson was constantly pressuring and attacking the Huskies down low to create opportunities for his teammates. Chiasson’s pressure and effort led directly to sophomore defenseman Ryan Ruikka’s goal in the first period.

As is typical, Pereira also brought a lot of grit and effort into Friday night’s game. The constantly energetic senior had even more zip to his play during game two and was up and down the ice all night hitting opponents on the boards, playing aggressive on the forecheck and creating chances on special teams.

It is not hard to figure out what his motivation was. As the only senior who sees ice time on the team, Pereira was playing in what could have very well been his last collegiate game. Pereira and the Terriers are now tasked with replicating their effort from Friday night in the do-or-die game 3 on Sunday.

“Our family wasn’t ready to separate,” Pereira said of Friday’s effort. “We came ready to play tonight and now we have to get ready to go after it Sunday.”