BOSTON- Brandon Yip’s two goals tonight was one of the main compononents to a Boston University 5-2 victory tonight over Merrimack College. The senior has a lot going for him, with a good Icebreaker performance, and tonight’s two-goal act.

This year, Yip has been motivated from an injury plagued season in 2006-07 and 2007-08 Tonight’s game could be a turning point to his collegiate swan song.

“He really struggled [the last couple of years 2006-07 and 2007-08] with injuries,” Terrier head coach Jack Parker noted. “This is the first year he has been healthy from the get-go and hopefully he will stay that way.

“He [Yip] is also playing with a lot more intensity. He was a little on ‘cruise control’ last year and I thought we challenged him this year to come back in better shape and to be back to lead this team and be a important factor on our team. So far he’s done that for sure.”

Not only does Yip see himself getting better, he also sees the Terrier squad improving in the locker room.

Last season the team was 0-2-1 through three games, including tough results in the Nye Frontier Classic in Anchorage, Alaska. This year, the team is 3-0-0 through three.

“We didn’t get a great start last year,” Yip pointed out. “Coming out this year we remind ourselves of the Alaska trip and we wanted to come out and just keep working hard.

“We had a great weekend last week [in the Icebreaker] but we had to put it behind us, we just wanted to work hard and come out with a win tonight.”

With that note aside, the Terriers do have some unfinished business with the New Hampshire Wildcats. Both teams are undefeated going into Sunday's early season showdown

Other Notables:

The first goal of the game by BU freshman, Vinny Saponari was the first of his collegiate career.

Nick Bonino had three assists and was the second star of the game. Yip was the first star.

The third star was Merrimack sophomore Chris Barton, who scored the only two goals tonight, his seventh and eighth of his career. Head coach Mark Dennehy praised the sophomore forward after the game.

“I like to see players rewarded with good play,” Dennehy emphasized about his club, and of Barton. “I think Chris [Barton] tonight was our best all around player.

“What I like the most about him is even as a sophomore, he is taking more of a leadership role with some of the younger guys and talking them through the game. Down 3-0 at BU can get pretty hairy in a hurry. Doesn’t matter how good the BU teams are.”

Special team’s also played a part of this game as the two teams combined for 19 penalties.

“I thought we had dominated the game for awhile,” noted Parker. “I thought they did a much better job on special teams than we did…If it wasn’t for the special teams I thought it would’ve been a much easier game.”

BU is now ahead in the all-time series 68-11-4 and has now won 13 straight against Merrimack.