Boston College Athletics
No. 1 Men's Ice Hockey Opens Schedule Friday
October 13, 1999 | Men's Hockey
Oct. 13, 1999
BOSTON COLLEGE
vs.
Bowling Green
Kelley Rink -- Silvio O. Conte Forum (7,884) -- Chestnut Hill, MA
October 15, 1999
Breaking the ice: The Eagles open the 1999-2000 regular-season campaign with tonight's game against Bowling Green State University. The contest marks the season opener for both teams.
For the 79th time: When the puck drops, Boston College will begin its 79th season of varsity hockey competition. In 78 seasons the Eagles have gone a combined 1112-651-80. In its last 30 season openers, Boston College has posted an impressive 22-7-1 mark. The program put together a nine-game season-opening winning streak from the 1980-81 season to the 1988-89 campaign. Under Jerry York, the Eagles are 2-2-1 in openers.
The Series: The Eagles and Falcons are meeting for the 10th time with Boston College holding a 6-3-0 advantage. The teams last met on October 17, 1997 with BC winning 3-2.
First Time was the charm: Five current Eagles scored their first career goals against Bowling Green. Blake Bellefeuille, Jeff Farkas and Mike Mottau all tallied in the Eagles' Oct. 18, 1996 season opener at Bowling Green. In the Eagles' Oct. 17, 1997 meeting with Bowling Green, current juniors Bobby Allen and Marty Hughes lit the lamp.
Earning respect: The Eagles find themselves ranked No. 1 in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Poll. The Sporting News' Hockey pre-season poll also gave Boston College top billing. Additionally, the Eagles received all eight possible first-place votes in the HOCKEY EAST coaches' pre-season poll, making them the league's pre-season No. 1 squad.
Don't I know You: Tonight's game will mark the 17th time Jerry York will face a school he formerly coached. During his days at Bowling Green the Falcons took on Clarkson seven times. At Boston College, York-led teams have faced off with Clarkson six times and Bowling Green three times.
Great Scott: Current Boston College associate head coach Scott Paluch played for Jerry York at Bowling Green for four seasons (1984-1988). During the 1987-88 season Paluch served as the Falcons' captain. As a Falcon, Paluch earned All-America and All-CCHA accolades following his senior season and posted the second highest (60) single-season point total for a BGSU defenseman. Additionally, Paluch still holds Bowling Green's career mark for most goals by a defenseman (169).
One last look: Last season's 27-12-4 year included a second consecutive HOCKEY EAST Tournament crown, a second straight trip to the NCAA Frozen Four and the second season in a row that the program won 25 or more games.
The power returns: Boston College returns 84.1 percent of its goal scoring from last season and 82.2 percent of its total points. The Eagles return four of their top six goal scorers - Jeff Farkas (32 goals), Brian Gionta (27 goals), Blake Bellefeuille (24 goals) and Mike Lephart (11 goals).
Captain Mike: Senior defenseman Mike Mottau will serve as Boston College's captain for the 1999-2000 campaign. Mottau, who finished the 1998-99 season with three goals and 39 assists, has earned All-America honors in each of the last two seasons. He was also the co-recipient of the 1999 Walter Brown Award, given annually to the best American-born player in New England.
Helping out: Senior forward Blake Bellefeuille and junior forward Brian Gionta will serve as assistant captains. Last season Bellefeuille posted the best offensive numbers of his career as he tallied 24 goals and 25 assists for 49 points. Gionta, who captured 1998-99 All-America honors, had 27 goals and 33 assists for 60 points.
Farkas the Lamplighter: Senior forward Jeff Farkas is the nation's top returning goal scorer. During the 1998-99 campaign, Farkas lit the lamp 32 times. He also handed out 25 assists to give him a career-high 57-point season.
The man between the pipes: Junior goaltender Scott Clemmensen returns for his third season as the Eagles' starter. Last season, the Urbandale, Iowa product sported a 2.87 goals against average and .888 save percentage, playing in all but one of Boston College's games. In two seasons as the Eagles' main man in net, Clemmensen has won 50 games and recorded five shutouts.
Going hat trick happy: Junior forward Brian Gionta has five hat tricks in his two years at Boston College. Gionta is just three short of the BC career record (eight) held jointly by Ray Chaisson (1939-41), Warren Lewis (1947-50) and Scott Harlow (1982-86).
All in the family: Senior forward Tony Hutchins isn't the only one in his family who can score goals. Hutchins' sister Angela is a sophomore on the BC field hockey team and currently has four goals.
Meet the new guys: The Eagle roster consists of eight newcomers. Two goaltenders (Tim Kelleher and Tom Egan), two defensemen (Bill Cass and Anthony D'Arpino) and four forwards (Paul Kelly, Krys Kolanos, A.J. Walker and Jeremy Wilson) begin their Eagle careers.
First Impression: Freshman forward Krys Kolanos made quite a first impression on Oct. 8, scoring three goals and adding two assists in the Eagles' 7-1 rout of Queen's (Kingston, Ontario) in exhibition action.
He was my coach: Freshman A.J. Walker was coached during his high school days by Andy Murray, currently the head coach of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. Walker registered 127 points - 44 goals and 83 assists - in 74 games for Shattuck-St. Mary's (Fairbault, Minn.) last winter.
I know what you did this off-season: Several Eagles took part in hockey-related activities during the off-season. Senior Mike Mottau played for Team USA in the IIHF World Championships in Norway in May. Mottau registered two goals and one assist during the six-game event ... Junior Brian Gionta was presented with the 1999 Bob Johnson Award in a June ceremony held in Colorado Springs, Colo. Gionta's strong play in the 1999 IIHF Junior Championships earned him the honor ... Sophomore defenseman Brooks Orpik took part in USA Hockey's National Junior Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. in early August.
The NHL awaits: Eight current Eagles have been taken in the NHL's annual entry draft. Tony Hutchins (St. Louis, 8th round) was taken in 1996, senior Kevin Caulfield (Washington, 5th round), junior Scott Clemmensen (New Jersey, 8th round), senior Jeff Farkas (Toronto, 3rd round), senior Mike Mottau (New York Rangers, 7th round) were all taken in 1997, while junior Bobby Allen (Boston, 2nd round), junior Brian Gionta (New Jersey, 3rd round) and junior Rob Scuderi (Pittsburgh, 5th round) were all selected in 1998.
The Coach: Jerry York, a 1967 Boston College graduate, begins his sixth year at his alma mater. He currently has a 97-79-18 (.546) record at Boston College. York's career record stands at 564-424-52 (.467). He currently ranks sixth on the all-time winningest coaches list. Before coming to the Heights, York served as head coach at both Clarkson (1972-79) and Bowling Green (1979-94).
Consistency breeds success: Associate head coaches Jim Logue and Scott Paluch along with assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh will once again join Jerry York to form the Eagle coaching staff. It marks the fifth year in a row that the staff has remained intact. In addition to being on the same staff, Cavanaugh played for Logue at North Andover High School, while Paluch played his college hockey under York at Bowling Green.
On the horizon: The Eagles will open conference play against Merrimack at Kelley Rink on Oct. 19. Game time is 7 p.m.
