Boston College
Boston University*
Men's Hockey Defeated by Boston University, 3-2
December 03, 2004 | Men's Hockey
Dec. 3, 2004
Ice Hockey dropped its first league game to Boston University (8-6-0, 7-1-0), 3-2, in front of 3806 fans at Walter Brown Arena. Boston College (6-3-2, 3-1-2) opened its first two-game weekend with the loss on Friday night.
Prior to Friday's game, BC and BU were knotted at Walter Brown Arena since the formation of the Hockey East Conference in the 1984-85 season. Going into BC's final game against BU in WBA, both teams carried a 15-15-4 record. BU edged BC in the game and captured the in-conference home series.
BC opened the game with some good chances in the offensive zone. Four minutes into the contest, BC had already challenged BU goaltender John Curry on six occasions, forcing six early saves.
The shots began to even off as the period progressed, but neither team could keep continuous offensive pressure on the opposing net.
The Eagles were given the power play with five minutes remaining in the first. Starting the play from behind the BC net, the puck got loose and was scooped up by Chris Bourque of the Terriers. He centered the puck to Peter MacArthur who buried it top-shelf, stick side on BC goalie Matti Kaltiainen.
BC's best chance of the period came on a rebound that came to the stick of Patrick Eaves. He tried to slip it by Curry, but the sprawled goalie made the save, one of his 14 of the period.
BC out-shot BU 14-10 in the first 20 minutes of play.
The Eagles spent the first minutes of the period killing two BU power plays. The kills were successful, but offensive chances for BC were sparse to start the second.
The Eagles got on the board at 13:36. Ned Havern pushed the puck into the Terrier zone, being overtaken by defenders at the goal line on the right side. Brian Boyle picked up the puck and wrapped around the left side of the net. Boyle flipped it into the top corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season, evening the game at one.
Havern notched his seventh point of the season with the helper on the goal.
Eaves gave BC its first lead of the game. At the 16:34 mark, Kaltiainen cleared the puck up the boards and it was collected by Eaves around the blue line. Eaves pushed the puck up the left side with Shannon posted up in the slot for the one-timer look. Eaves took it himself and put it over the right blocker of Curry for BC's second goal.
The score was Eaves' sixth goal and his 15th point of the season. The assist was Kaltiainen's first point and the first time a BC goalie was credited with an assist since December 7, 2002 (Tim Kelleher vs. Maine).
BU knotted the game at two with 43 seconds remaining in the period. With the man advantage, BU ripped a shot on Kaltiainen from the point. Dave Van der Gulik took the puck and netted the puck over the BC goalie.
BC was out-shot 10-7 in the middle frame.
The game remained at 2-2 through 10 minutes in the third. BC had multiple opportunities on a power play and BU's best chance was a breakaway that was stuffed by Kaltiainen.
The Terriers regained the lead at the 12:55 mark in the third. Brad Zancanaro got free down the left side and buried the puck over Kaltiainen's glove for BU's third goal.
Although BC had a power play for the last 50 seconds of play, the Eagles could not capitalize and the game ended at 3-2 in favor of the Terriers.
BC was 0-4 on power play opportunities and BU was 1-7.
Kaltiainen finished with 26 saves and Curry stopped 23.
The Eagles host the Providence Friars on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
