Boston College 2 – Merrimack 1: Rapid, Uncut Reactions
By Joe Micik
The final score at Conte Forum slash Kelley Rink on Wednesday night was Boston College 2 – Merrimack 1, getting the Eagles back on track after their embarrassing loss at Maine.
With the win, the Eagles are now 14-8-2 on the season, up to 16 points in Hockey East and back in the race, despite the fact that the teams in front of them all have two games in hand.
Nevertheless, this was one the Eagles needed in the worst way.
Boston College 2 – Merrimack 1: The Reactions
1. Did I mention Boston College needed this win big-time? They did, and they got it, therefore it was a successful day. This game meant more in terms of the PairWise Rankings than it did for those two Hockey East points. The Eagles will move up a spot to 18th, still about five below where they need to be, but at least they did not go down. Huge win over a good team, whether or not they ever win in Chestnut Hill.
Boston College Eagles
2. The Austin Cangelosi no-goal call early in the third period looked questionable to me. Ryan Fitzgerald appeared to be in the crease and making contact with the Merrimack goalie, but it also looked like Merrimack’s Dan Kolomatis, who was next to Fitzgerald as he tried to screen Rasmus Tirronen, was pushing Fitzgerald into Tirronen a bit. It all happened right at the edge of the crease as well.
I can see why the referees called it the way they did, but it was a reach. It was ticky-tack and should probably have been a good goal. The good news is that it didn’t matter.
3. Merrimack is a good defensive team and it showed tonight. The Eagles generated 32 shots on-goal but only scored twice (though arguably it could have been three with the Cangelosi “goal” and four if Destry Straight could have pulled the trigger on the empty-net try). In games like this, you need your goalie to make two goals hold up, and Thatcher Demko did it. Only that one power-play goal hurt him but 5-on-5 he was good.
4. After the game they played at Maine, there is little to critique about this effort. Enough said. Take the win and move on.