Boston University played in the opening game of the Hockey East Men\u2019s Tournament on Wednesday, needing a win over Vermont to keep its season alive and advance into the second round.<\/p>\n
Shortly before puck drop, BU made a surprise lineup change for the win-or-go-home game, as top-line center and Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick Sacha Boisvert was listed as a healthy scratch.<\/p>\n
Considering the stakes at hand, it was peculiar to see Boisvert, third on the team in points per game this season, held out of the lineup without seemingly being injured.<\/p>\n
As it turns out, the Terriers didn\u2019t need Boisvert to take down the Catamounts on Wednesday, as New York Islanders prospect Cole Eiserman scored twice and added an assist to lead the charge in a 4-1 victory. BU advances to face Connecticut in the quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
After the game, Terriers head coach Jay Pandolfo only added to the mystique of the situation, saying that Boisvert \u201cjust wasn\u2019t available\u201d for the game. He said he wouldn\u2019t necessarily consider him a healthy scratch. Real coach talk there from Pandolfo.<\/p>\n
Pandolfo:<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t necessarily say he was a healthy scratch. He just wasn’t available tonight. I’m going to leave it at that.” https:\/\/t.co\/w173BWa7vR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) March 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n If Boisvert isn\u2019t fully healthy, he likely wouldn\u2019t have been listed as a surprise healthy scratch, with the announcement coming just before pregame warmups. The cryptic message from Pandolfo and the terminology from BU\u2019s Athletic Department led to plenty of speculation about a potential off-ice incident for Boisvert. That, or perhaps something occurred during a recent practice or in the locker room leading into the tournament.<\/p>\n Of course, there has been plenty of talk that Boisvert, the 18th overall pick by the Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL Draft, will be signing his entry-level contract once his sophomore season comes to an end, which could have been last night, had BU fallen to Vermont.<\/p>\n Boisvert transferred from North Dakota to Boston University following a standout freshman season, but his production has been nowhere near the same as a sophomore. After scoring 18 goals in 2024-25, he\u2019s only found the back of the net three times in 25 appearances as a Terrier. His 17 points are roughly half of what he tallied last year. Boisvert has also dealt with injuries and was suspended for two games in January after getting into a fight with UMass-Lowell\u2019s Connor Eddy.<\/p>\n Despite a somewhat disastrous stint at BU, the Blackhawks reportedly remain confident that Boisvert is ready to make the jump to pro hockey. However, this surely isn\u2019t how they wanted him to transition from the college level, as he could have already played his final NCAA game.<\/p>\n Will Pandolfo have Boisvert back in the lineup on Saturday? That\u2019s still unknown, but if the plans are for him to be held out again, one has to wonder if he\u2019ll be allowed to leave the program and ink his entry-level deal early. That might be what\u2019s best for both sides at this point.<\/p>\n For more Blackhawks news, visit Chicago Hockey Now<\/a> and like our Facebook Page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow us on X:<\/p>\n @chihockeynow<\/a>, @JackBushman2<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t