Boston College
Merrimack*
Top-Ranked Hockey Defeats Merrimack, 8-3
February 11, 2005 | Men's Hockey
February 11, 2004
Junior Patrick Eaves and senior Ned Havern each scored two goals to lead top-ranked Boston College to an 8-3 Hockey East victory over Merrimack before 5,020 fans in Kelley Rink.
Boston College led 3-1 after one period and 6-1 after two periods. The host Eagles extended their advantage to 8-1 less than three minutes into the final period, before Merrimack tallied the final two goals.
Eaves opened the scoring at 7:08 with a hard backhander that went over the stick of Merrimack goalie Casey Guenther.
Havern doubled the BC margin with a power-play goal at 11:59. Junior Peter Harrold hit Havern with a pass from the point as he rushed the net. The puck was deflected by Guenther, but it crept past the goal line.
Senior Ryan Shannon gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead with a power-play at 13:34. Shannon found himself on the end of a Andrew Alberts pass and banged home the slap shot from the point.
Before the period ended, junior Bryan Schmidt put Merrimack on the board at 19:53.
Junior Chris Collins tallied a shorthanded goal just 1:16 into the middle period. He took a pass from Stephen Gionta in front of the net and it took two tries to get the puck past Guenther.
Eaves netted his second goal of the night on the power play at 10:18.
Freshman Brian O'Hanley's goal at 12:29 gave BC a 6-1 cushion. O'Hanley got his stick on a loose puck just outside of the crease. The goal was O'Hanley's second of the season.
Harrold and Havern rounded out the scoring for the Eagles in the third period.
Both teams used two goaltenders. BC senior Matti Kaltiainen earned his 10th victory of the season, allowing just one goal while making 13 saves in 43:23. Classmate Robbie Miller made three stops in the final 16:37.
Guenther made 17 saves, while allowing five goals in 30:18. Frank McLaughlin made nine stops in the final 29:42.
Juniors Bryan Schmidt and Brent Gough and sophomore Ryan Sullivan each scored one goal for Merrimack (8-21-2, 1-17-1 Hockey East).
Havern added two assists to finish with a career-high four points. Eaves is closing in on 100 points, tallying three tonight to bring his career total to 98. O'Hanley's three point game was a career high for the freshman.
With the victory, Boston College (18-4-5, 12-1-5 HE) maintained its three-point lead in the Hockey East standings. Boston University and New Hampshire, both winners tonight, are tied in second place.
The Eagles go back to the FleetCenter on Monday night to take on Harvard in the Beanpot consolation game at 5 p.m.
