Boston College-Northeastern Final: Eagles Keep Rolling With 4-2 Win

Boston College-Northeastern Final: #16 Boston College completed a three-point weekend by taking Saturday afternoon’s meeting with Northeastern, 4-2.

With the win, Boston College is now unbeaten in their last seven games, going 5-0-2 in that stretch. Overall, the Eagles have a record of 12-7-2, and they have 12 points in Hockey East, four points behind UMass-Lowell and Boston University.

The Eagles and Huskies will face off at least one more time this season when they meet at the TD Garden on February 2 for the first round of the Beanpot.

Boston College-Northeastern Final: Game Synopsis

The opening minutes of the first period looked eerily similar to the game on Friday night at Matthews Arena, with Northeastern’s defense forcing short shifts for Boston College in the offensive zone. While the Eagles were not able to get much pressure, once more, the Huskies potted the first goal. Torin Snydeman jammed a loose puck under Thatcher Demko’s left leg as he was sprawled out on the ice to put Northeastern ahead, 1-0.

It would not be until the final few minutes of the period that the Eagles looked like they were starting to adjust to the defensive pressure. Within the final two minutes, that hard work paid off. Mike Matheson directed it past Clay Witt and into the net at the 18:03 mark to make it a 1-1 hockey game, but just 52 seconds later, Chris Calnan hacked away at a loose puck in front of the net and snuck it past Witt to put Boston College ahead, 2-1.

In the second, Northeastern had a dominant 17-9 shot advantage, thanks in part to the three power plays they had — two of which saw overlapping penalties for 5-on-3s, but the Eagles penalty kill stood strong. In fact, most of the best opportunities belonged to Boston College.

Chris Calnan scored his second goal of the game shorthanded during one of the power play chances for Northeastern, and Mike Matheson had a solo breakway chance down 5-on-3, but Clay Witt stopped him at point-blank range. The Eagles were flying up and down the ice, despite the fact that they were on the kill often.

The Eagles kept the offense going in the third. Even though Ryan Rosenthal made it a one-goal game for Northeastern with 6:34 to play, Boston College got it back. While on the power play, Adam Gilmour got it past Witt to let the Eagles retake a two-goal lead. Moments later, a potential Ryan Fitzgerald goal was waved off for going in off of a high stick.

Northeastern had a few last chances with Witt pulled, but Thatcher Demko again made the Huskies frustrated.

Boston College-Northeastern Final: Goal Chart

Boston College-Northeastern Final: The Stats

Northeastern outshot Boston College, 33-25. Thatcher Demko made 31 saves on Saturday in the win; he came up with a total of 61 saves this weekend against the Huskies. Clay Witt made 21 saves in the loss.

Chris Calnan (2-0-2), Noah Hanifin (0-2-2), and Adam Gilmour (1-1-2) all had multi-point games for Boston College. Gilmour has scored a goal in four straight games.

Boston College-Northeastern Final: Opinionating

Boston College Eagles

Boston College had exactly the kind of performance they needed, save for a few details like taking too many penalties and initially not being able to hold the puck in the zone. The Eagles’ penalty kill was strong and they found ways to get their offense going. At times, they looked very good.

Northeastern’s overall record might not be great, but they have played well lately, and yet Boston College kept them from winning in either of the two games this weekend.

These are three big points for Boston College, who are now back within earshot of first place in Hockey East. The Eagles had no alternative but to start getting hot at this time of year, and so far, they are responding.

Boston College-Northeastern Final: Next Up

Boston College will next face their Commonwealth Avenue rivals, #2 Boston University, on Friday night.