Boston College-Minnesota Final: Gophers Dash Eagle Hopes in 6-2 Win

Boston College-Minnesota Final: On Friday night at Conte Forum, the #3 Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the #12 Boston College Eagles, 6-2.

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The loss snaps a three-game Boston College win streak, while getting Minnesota back on track after being swept by Minnesota-Duluth most recently.

This was the first time since January 1999 that Minnesota had made a trip to Conte Forum, though it fell on Black Friday with most of the school’s students away.

Boston College-Minnesota Final: Game Synopsis

The Eagles and Gophers played a first period that initially featured very few shots on-goal for either team. Even with an early power play, Boston College struggled to generate much pressure on Minnesota goalie Adam Wilcox.

Late in the period, Boston College’s defense suffered a big lapse as Justin Kloos got in on Thatcher Demko; Kloos’s shot was saved, but Sam Warning collected the rebound and beat Demko for a 1-0 Gophers lead.

Minnesota tripled their lead late in the second period, scoring two goals in less than a minute. Boston College could not convert on their power play opportunities, which might have come in handy against the Gopher offense. In fact, they had trouble getting the puck out of their own zone, and Minnesota eventually made the Eagles pay for it again and again.

The Eagles gave signs of a comeback early in the third, potting two in roughly the first six minutes to pull to within 3-2. Alex Tuch scored off of a turnover to get Boston College on the board, while Destry Straight slipped one in from point-blank range to get them within one.

From there, Minnesota would reassert their control over the game. Demko was beaten by a Jake Bischoff snipe to make it 4-2, while another Vinni Lettieri goal and an empty-netter sealed the deal.

Boston College-Minnesota Final: The Stats

Minnesota outshot the Eagles, 30-26. Boston College went 0-for-4 on the power play, while Minnesota was 0-for-2.

Chris Calnan, Alex Tuch, Adam Gilmour, and Destry Straight were the only Eagles with points. Three Gophers, Collins, Lettieri, and Kloos, had two.

Boston College-Minnesota Final: Goal Chart

Boston College-Minnesota Final: Bottom Line

Is Boston College hockey “back”? Based upon the results on Friday night, no, they are not. Minnesota is a better team than the Eagles right now, and a championship contender. As presently constituted, the Eagles are the inferior team and, quite frankly, not a contender.

This was one of those games when you had a marquee matchup in your own building and you got beat. Eagles fans are not used to seeing it, but the reality is that Boston College is not on Minnesota’s level at this point. This can change, but if this contest were a barometer of where the Eagles stand, the results were not good.

The Eagles showed us something here and there, but the Gophers got the job done and the Eagles did not. It happens, and it is a sobering reminder that the team in front of us right now is not the best. Tomorrow’s game is huge; a Boston College loss would drop them back to 7-7-0 on the year and raise real questions as to what the Eagles’ March plans will be.

Boston College-Minnesota Final: Next Up

Boston College travels to face the #20 Providence Friars on Saturday night at 7pm.