Michigan 3, Boston College 1: Eagles Hockey Falls in Opener

The Boston College Eagles men’s hockey team began the 2013-14 season the same way they opened the 2012-13 season: with a road loss. The #4 Eagles were defeated in Ann Arbor by the #11 Michigan Wolverines, 3-1.

In a game that was watchable on Boston College campus television (and to anyone with Comcast in Michigan), the Eagles were outshot by the Wolverines, 32-21. Junior Eagles goaltender Brian Billett made 29 saves in the defeat, while Michigan goalie Steve Racine won with 20 saves to his credit.

A frequent complaint of the Eagles last season was taking too many penalties, and in the first game of 2013-14, that issue manifested itself once again. Boston College suffered six penalties, and Michigan was able to convert on the power play twice. The first came in the opening period from Luke Moffatt at 7:25, while the second was again Moffatt, the latter scored at 0:34 of the third period.

Michigan got its game-winning second goal in the second period from Andrew Copp at 5:03. The Eagles notched their only score of the contest during this middle frame, thanks to newcomer Ian McCoshen at 10:05.

Boston College defenseman Mike Matheson earned third star honors for his performance.

Billett was reportedly satisfactory in goal for the Eagles, facing a number of rushes and clearly more shots than his Michigan counterpart. He will not start the following game, as Boston College coach Jerry York has already announced that Thatcher Demko will man the net for the second contest of the season on Sunday against RPI. This would seem to suggest that the early part of the season will be used to facilitate a goalie competition, though at the outset, Billett acquitted himself well against a good team.