By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff

In a game that went from a blow-out to a tense affair because of four third period Terrier goals, the Boston University men's ice hockey team fell to St. Francis Xavier University, 6-4, in an exhibition game.

The XMen scored on BU early and often. Just 1:54 into the first period, the XMen cashed in short-handed when Bryce Swan beat BU goalie Kieran Millan on a 2-on-1. St. Francis doubled its lead less than four minutes later when Kevin Undershute dropped a pass to Brennen Wray, who scored stick-side.

It took just three more minutes for St. Francis to extend its lead. The XMen were on a power play as a result of a hitting after the whistle call on sophomore defenseman Adam Clendening. Millan failed to clear away a bouncing puck and Undershute capitalized, sneaking it behind the goalie to make it 3-0 St. Francis.

Six minutes into the second period, the XMen earned their second power-play tally of the night when Nick Pageau rocketed a shot through Millan’s five-hole. Millan started to look better as the period went on, but with just 20 seconds remaining in the frame, a Max Nicastro turnover in the offensive zone proved costly as Jason Bast took the puck the other way and beat Millan easily to increase the lead to 5-0.

But the Terriers took over in the third period. Junior defenseman Ben Rosen notched the Terriers’ first goal when his shot caromed off a defenseman’s leg and past St. Francis goalie Joseph Perricone.

Freshman defenseman Alexx Privitera scored his first goal in a BU jersey when he banged home a backhander off a Connolly rebound 12:13 into the third period.

Junior forward Wade Megan tightened the score to 5-3 late in the third period when he raced in on a 3-on-1 and flicked a puck over Perricone’s ankle for the tally. Megan brought BU within a goal with 2:42 remaining in the game when he shoved a centering pass from assistant captain Alex Chiasson past Perricone.

St. Francis, however, scored an empty net goal with 1.4 seconds left in the game to narrowly escape with the 6-4 victory.