Boston College 4, Boston University 2: Eagles Take Rivalry’s First Round

The Boston College Eagles men’s hockey team knows how to wrap up a good weekend. For the program, it was far more winning than losing, and for hockey in particular, two more wins were dropped in the bank.

On Sunday evening at Agganis Arena, home of the #12 Boston University Terriers, the #1 Eagles defeated BU, 4-2. It is Boston College’s eighth win in a row and two more Hockey East points. Their incredible streak which dates back to last season continues, as the Eagles have now won 27 of their last 28 games.

Boston College started the scoring just 43 seconds into the game, as Destry Straight fired a shot beyond Terrier goalie Matt O’Connor to give the Eagles a fast 1-0 lead (assisted by Hayes). Few could have expected that the game would have remained at that score for the remainder of the first period, all of the second, and over half of the third. Both teams had a number of opportunities in what was at times a frantic pace of hockey, but both O’Connor and Boston College’s Parker Milner held.

When the impasse was broken in the middle of the third period, it was Kevin Hayes who did it. At 11:01 of the final frame, Hayes found a crucial second goal for the Eagles, doubling the lead at 2-0 (assisted by Linell). Boston College’s third goal would come quickly thereafter at the 12:23 mark, and those who are familiar with BC hockey could likely guess who it was without much effort, because he seemingly scores a goal every day: sophomore Johnny Gaudreau. His seventh goal of the young season gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead (assisted by Mullane and Whitney).

Boston University was not done, however. On a 4-on-4 late in the third, the Terriers found some life as Matt Grzelcyk got BU on the scoreboard at 15:20 (assisted by Hohmann). The Eagles eventually responded, with Bill Arnold flicking the puck towards the empty net from long-distance at 18:02 while Boston University had a 6-on-4, giving BC an insurmountable 4-1 lead (unassisted).

The Terriers scored one last time in the very active last nine minutes of the game, which saw five pucks enter the nets. At 18:43, Alexx Privitera scored his first goal of the season on a power play, but it was too little, too late as the Terriers still trailed, 4-2 (assisted by Nieto and Gill).

Like any Boston College-Boston University hockey game, a number of penalties were called. Surprisingly, the Eagles went 0-for-6 on the man-advantage, but did score a shorthanded goal on Arnold’s empty-netter. Meanwhile, the Terriers went 1-for-7. Parker Milner saved 25 shots for his eighth win of the season, while the defeated O’Connor saved 20 in a valiant effort.

Though the Eagles struggled on the power play, they demonstrated with authority that tonight, they did not need it. For the vast majority of the game, Boston University was equally unable to score. Defense on both sides was good, though the Eagles did a little more and were able to grind out a hard-fought win just a few miles down the road.

Jerry York is now just four wins away from his record-setting 925th win, and he will get a chance for win #922 on Friday night at home against Merrimack.