Boston College 4, Northeastern 2: Eagles Win Hockey East Opener

Andrew B. Fielding-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday evening at Kelley Rink, the #8 Boston College Eagles defeated the #19 Northeastern Huskies, 4-2, in Boston College’s first Hockey East conference game of the season.

With the win, Boston College gets its first win in two weeks, improving to 3-2-1 on the season and taking its first two points in conference play.

Northeastern opened the scoring in the first period, giving the Eagles their first home deficit of the season, but that was short-lived as Boston College was able to come back in the late stages of the opening frame, eventually to come back for good in the second.

Goal Sequence
[NU] Ryan Belonger (12:43 1st; Hedges, Ferriero): NU 1, BC 0
[BC] Kevin Hayes (19:29 1st; Matheson, McCoshen; PP): BC 1, NU 1

[BC] Johnny Gaudreau (12:19 2nd; Arnold, Matheson; SH): BC 2, NU 1

[BC] Ryan Fitzgerald (1:08 3rd; Hayes, Linell): BC 3, NU 1
[NU] Mike Szmatula (3:59 3rd; Saucerman, Pimm; PP): BC 3, NU 2
[BC] Johnny Gaudreau (19:47 3rd; Santini; EN): BC 4, NU 2

Gaudreau doubled his goal total in this contest from two to four on the season, the first of which was scored on a terrific move to beat Northeastern goalie Clay Witt. Witt made 29 saves in the defeat while winning Eagles goalie Thatcher Demko logged 20 saves.

Each team drew five penalties in what was at times a slow-moving game with a good amount of time in neutral ice and extended stretches of limited offensive rhythm. The Eagles will, however, absolutely take the conference win and move on to the next game.

Tomorrow night, the Eagles will close out the home-and-home with a game against Northeastern down the road in Boston.