Boston College Athletics
BC-Merrimack Hockey Game Notes
January 16, 2001 | Men's Hockey
Please Take Note: * Boston College will be looking for the regular season sweep of Merrimack for the first time since the 1995-96 season.
* Senior goaltender Scott Clemmensen is only 15 saves short of over taking Paul Skidmore (1975-79) for third place in BC's all-time saves list. Clemmensen comes into the Merrimack game with 2,747 saves. Skidmore stopped 2,761 in his four- year career at BC.
* Freshman Chuck Kobasew has been the barometer for success for BC this season. In games that Kobasew registers a point, the Eagles are 14-1. When he doesn't score, BC is 1-4-1.
* On the road, BC's scoring defense has been very tough. The Eagles' goals against average in road contests is just 1.92 (27 ga in 14 games). BC has held it's oppo nents on the road to one or fewer goals on six different occassions, including once against Merrimack (6-1 win at MC on Nov. 17).
* In BC's 5-2 win over BU on Jan. 7, senior forward Brian Gionta became only the fourth Eagle to ever tally 100 goals and 100 assists in his career.
* Junior forward Jeff Giuliano is the Eagles' scoring leader in games played against Merrimack. Giuliano, from nearby Nashua, NH, has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in only eight games against the Warriors. Gionta is next with 11 points in 12 games (7 goals, 4 assists).
The Series: Boston College will face the Warriors for the 45th time tonight, with BC holding a 30-14 advantage. The Eagles have a 27-14 record against Merrimack since the Warriors joined HOCKEY EAST in 1989. In games played at Merrimack, BC owns a 11-8 record. In games played at BC, the Eagles hold a 17-6 mark. BC has won the teams' two neutral site games. Last season BC was 2-1 against Merrimack, with each team winning at home. At Kelley Rink, BC won 7-2 on Oct. 23, 1999, and 4-0 on Dec. 7, 1999. Merrimack defeated the Eagles 2-0 at the Volpe Complex on Nov. 19, 1999.
Coach York: Jerry York is in his seventh season as the Eagles' head coach. He heads into tonight's game as the sixth-winningest coach in NCAA history. With the Eagles' 6-1 win at UMass-Lowell on Saturday, Nov. 4, York joined an elite group of five other coaches who have 600 or more career victories. His career record stands at 608-441-54 (.580). His record at Boston College is 141-96-20 (.595). In HOCKEY EAST games York's teams are 82-58-15 (.585). He has led his team to the NCAA Tournament eight times, including three consecutive appearances by Boston College in the Frozen Four (1998-2000). His 1983-84 Bowling Green squad finished 34-8-2 and won the national championship.
Last Time Out for the Eagles: J. D. Forrest and Chuck Kobasew each scored one goal and Scott Clemmensen made 29 saves to lead BC to a 2-1 league victory at UMass Lowell on Fri., Jan. 12. After a scoreless first and second period, Forrest put the Eagles on the board with a power-play goal 1:26 into the third period. Kobasew doubled the BC lead with his 12th goal of the season at 8:49. Jeff Giuliano assisted on both BC goals. Brooks Orpik and Rob Scuderi also registered assists. UMass Lowell pulled goaltender Jimi St. John with 2:09 to play to gain a 6-on-4 advantage (Orpik was serving a slashing penalty). River Hawk freshman Laurent Meunier scored at 17:54 to pull UMass Lowell to within one goal, but they would get no closer, despite a strong final two minutes.
Eagle Newcomers: This season's freshman class has been the class of HOCKEY EAST this season. Chuck Kobasew and Tony Voce combined to earn Rookie of the Week honors four consecutive weeks in November. It was a feat that had not been accomplished by one conference team since the 1992-93 season, when Maine had four straight Rookie of the Week honorees. So far this season the freshman class has accounted for 27 goals and 41 assists. They have accounted for 30.6% of the teams' goal scoring, and 29.6 % of the Eagles' overall scoring this season:
York Selected as National Coach of the Year in Hockey: On January 9, 2001, Boston College head coach Jerry York was selected as the ice hockey National Coach of the Year for the year 2000 by the United States Olympic Committee. Forty-four Olympic and Pan American sports each named a National and Developmental Coach of the Year, and each will be honored at the fifth annual National Coaching Recognition Weekend in New York on Saturday, Jan. 13. The National Coaches of the Year winners were selected after strong showings at major event competitions for their respective sports.
Gionta, Kobasew are Fair Barometers of Eagles' Success This Season: As Brian Gionta and Chuck Kobasew go, so go the Eagles. Boston College was a perfect 6-0 in November games in which both Gionta and Kobasew scored at least one point. Conversely, the Eagles were 0-2 in games in which neither player registered a point.
Eagles on the National Leaderboard: Here's where the Boston College team and individual players stand in the NCAA statistics this week (games played through 1/14/01) as compiled by USCHO.com: Team: Scoring Offense...3rd at 4.19 goals per game, Scoring Defense...9th at 2.43 goals per game, Scoring Margin...3rd at +1.76 goals per game, Winning Percentage...5th at 15-5-1 (.738), Power Play...13th at 27 of 124 (21.8%), Penalty Killing...8th at 119 of 136 (87.5%), Individual: Krys Kolanos...Tied for 2nd in goals per game with 0.85, Tied for 4th in goals scored with 17, 6th in points per game with 1.65, 9th in scoring (17-16--33). Brian Gionta...Tied for 2nd in shorthanded goals with 3, Tied for 25th in scoring (13-12--25). Mike Lephart...Tied for 29th in scoring (9-14--24). Chuck Kobasew...Tied for 1st in game-winning goals with 5, Tied for 12th in power-play goals with 6, Tied for 25th in scoring (12-13-25). Scott Clemmensen...9th in goals against average with a 2.11, 7th in winning percentage with a .750, 18th in save percentage with a .913.
Lephart, Allen Enjoy 6-on-5 Success: Boston College has pulled its goaltender and scored game-tying goals on five different occasions since the beginning of the 1999-2000 season. Senior assistant captains Mike Lephart and Bobby Allen have scored each of them. The Eagles ended up winning two of those games (including a 6-5 win over Michigan State in last year's NCAA West Regional), losing two, and tying one.
Fast Starts for the Eagles: Boston College has gotten off to fast starts in the majority of its games this season. The Eagles have scored in the first period in 15 of their 21 games, and have been the first team to score in 13 of those games. Fourteen of BC's 30 first-period goals have been scored within the first nine minutes of the period, and three of those have been scored within the first 90 seconds.
Forrest Competed with U.S. National Junior Team in World Junior Hockey Championship: Freshman defenseman J. D. Forrest was selected to compete with the U. S. National Junior Team that skated in the 2001 World Junior Hockey Championship in Moscow, Russia from Dec. 26 - Jan. 5. In six games, Forrest had one goal and one assist for the fifth-place U. S. team.
Gionta, Kobasew Earn HOCKEY EAST Accolades: Senior Brian Gionta earned Player of the Month honors, and freshman Chuck Kobasew was tabbed as the Rookie of the Month for November. The two players led BC to a 6-2 record. Gionta earned the third Player of the Month honor of his career on the strength of his performance against Merrimack in the Eagles' 7-2 win on Nov. 21. On a single play, Gionta scored his 100th career goal, tied a school record with his eighth career hat trick, and set a HOCKEY EAST record with the fastest two goals by one player in league history. Gionta tallied eight goals and three assists, scoring two short-handed goals and two power-play goals during the month. Kobasew has tallied a team-leading four game-winning goals, including a dramatic overtime goal at Harvard on Nov. 25. He also leads the team with six power-play goals. For the month of November, the forward registered 10 points on five goals and five assists. He is the league's top freshman scorer.
BC hockey Signs Three Recruits: Three high school seniors have signed national letters of intent to play hockey at Boston College next season. John Adams, a 6-foot-2-inch defenseman, Ryan Murphy, a 5-foot-11-inch forward, and Ryan Shannon, a 5-foot-9-inch forward will enter Boston College in the fall of 2001 and begin their collegiate playing careers in the 2001-02 season.
BC Class of 2001: This season's senior class experienced more success in its first three seasons than any other Boston College class entering their final year with the exception of the BC class of 1988, which won 85 games (.702 win percentage) through its first three seasons. The class of 2001 won 84 games in its first three seasons (.705 win percentage) and appeared in the Frozen Four each year, playing for the title twice. The only other BC class to appear in three consecutive Frozen Fours was the 1948-50 Eagles, a team that won BC's sole national championship in 1949.
Two Eagles Near Games-Played Mark: Two current Eagles have an opportunity to finish their careers with at least 164 games played, surpassing Mike Mottau's all-time mark of 163 appearances. Current Games needed Player games played to reach 164 Rob Scuderi 147 17 Bobby Allen 145 19
On The Radio: Tonight's game can be heard on WTKK 96.9 FM with Jon Rish calling the action and former Eagle standout Ken Hodge providing the color commentary. WTKK will broadcast all BC games for the remainder of the season except for the game vs. UMass-Lowell on Feb. 2, 2001. You can also listen to the game on the internet by logging on the official Boston College web site at www.bceagles.com.
Next Game: Second-ranked Boston College hosts the Providence Friars in a league game on Friday, Jan. 19, at Kelley Rink. The game will be the first meeting between the two schools this season. Last season BC was 2-1 against Providence. Game time is 7 p.m.
Player Notes 1 - Tim Kelleher (So., G) Has seen action in four games this season, compiling a 2-1 record with a 3.44 GAA and .867 save percentage...is out of the lineup indefinitely with mononucleosis...made 19 saves, giving up two goals vs. Merrimack on Nov. 21, getting the win...won 3-2 at Denver on Oct. 20, making 24 saves, giving up only two goals.
2 - Bobby Allen (Sr., D) Assistant captain this season...sat out the Eagles' game at Maine on Dec. 10 after suffering a minor concussion at Northeastern on Dec. 6...teams' leading defensive scorer with 11 points...valuable member of the Eagles' power play, scoring three power-play goals this season...named to Maverick Stampede All-Tournament team...two points short of the 100-point mark...second on the team in career games played with 145 (Scuderi 147).
4 - Brooks Orpik (Jr., D) Has registered one assist in five of the Eagles' last six games...assisted on Chuck Kobasew's game-winning overtime goal at Harvard on Nov. 25...in BC's 7-2 victory against Merrimack, moved into sole possession of 5th place on BC's all-time penalty minutes leader board with 236, passing former teammate Mike Mottau (232)...leads team with 62 penalty minutes this season (31 penalties)... returned to action against Merrimack on Friday, Nov. 17, after sitting out the previous three games with a quadricep contusion of his left leg suffered against Northeastern on Nov. 3...has tallied nine assists on the season.
5 - Bill Cass (So., D) Returned to the lineup on Dec. 29 against Michigan State after successful arthroscopic surgery on right knee after suffered a lateral meniscus tear in practice on Nov. 24...has played in 18 of the Eagles' 21 games, tallying three assists.
6 - Marty Hughes (Sr., F) Tied for eighth on the team in scoring with 11 points (one goal, 10 assists)...played both offensive and defensive positions against Yale on Nov. 7...tied for fifth on the team in career scoring with 62 points.
7 - Rob Scuderi (Sr., D) Tallied three assists in the Eagles' 8-5 win over Michigan on Dec. 30...Has registered six assists in the last six games...Scored two goals and nine assists this season...leads team in career games played with 147...on pace to break the career games played mark at BC of 164...both goals scored came in road victories (6-1 win at Merrimack on Nov. 17, 7-2 win at Maine on Dec. 10)...Eagles are 8-1 when Scuderi scores.
10 - Jeff Giuliano (Jr., F) Registered two assists vs. Merrimack on Nov. 21 and at Merrimack on Nov. 17...also tallied two assists in the Eagles' 2-1 win over UMass Lowell on Jan. 12...fifth on this year's squad in scoring with 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists)...tied for seventh on HOCKEY EAST's conference scoring list with 13 points on three goals and 10 assists...has six multiple-point games...holds the Eagles' longest point-scoring streak, having scored at least one point in six straight games (Oct. 29 - Nov. 17)...has scored in 13 of the Eagles' 21 games...tallied two goals in BC's first game of the season, a 4-1 win against Notre Dame.
11 - Krys Kolanos (So., F) Has scored in 16 of the 20 games in which he has played, including nine multiple-point efforts (leads team)...has multiple-point games in seven of the last 12 games he has played...leads the team in scoring with 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists)...on a career point-per-game pace with 65 points in 62 career games...leads HOCKEY EAST in scoring both in conference games and overall...has four multiple-goal games, most recently on Dec. 30 vs. Michigan in the GLI...had a five-point game against UMass-Amherst on Oct. 29 (two goals, three assists)...had a four-assist game vs. Merrimack on Nov. 21, the first of his career...second on the team with four power-play goals...named to the Great Lakes Invitational All-Tournament team...named to the Maverick Stampede All-Tournament team...earned HOCKEY EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors (10/30).
12 - Brian Gionta (Sr., F) Eagle captain this season...scored his 200th point in BC's 8-5 win over Michigan on Dec. 30 after tallying one goal and one assist...with assist against BU on Jan. 7, became only the fourth Eagle to tally at least 100 goals and 100 assists in his career... now has 103 career goals and 100 career assists...reached the 100-goal plateau with a hat trick against Merrimack on Nov. 21...scored two goals in 10 seconds in the third period of the Eagles' 7-2 win over Merrimack on Nov. 21 to break the HOCKEY EAST record for the fastest two goals by one player...moved into sole possession of fourth place on BC's career scoring list with 200 points after the Dec. 30 win vs. Michigan...fourth on the Eagles' career goals list with 103...only nine goals short of the all-time goal scoring mark of 112 set by David Emma (1987-91)...tied for second on the team in scoring with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists)... currently fifth in the league overall scoring and fifth in scoring in league games...has scored in 13 of 21 games...has eight multiple-point games...has scored three of the team's six short-handed goals.
13 - Tony Voce (Fr., F) Second among BC's freshman goal-scorers with six goals...tallied two assists in BC's 5-2 win over BU on Jan. 7. including one off of a pass from his knees...scored two goals in two minutes in the Eagles' 5-3 win at Notre Dame on Nov. 10...notched his first collegiate short-handed goal at Maine on Dec. 10...scored one goal and one assist at Maine on Dec. 10...tallied one goal and one assist at Merrimack on Nov. 17...earned HOCKEY EAST Rookie of the Week nods for two consecutive weeks (weeks ending Nov. 20 and Nov. 13)...scored BC's only goal in a 4-1 loss to New Hampshire on Nov. 18.
15 - Ales Dolinar (Jr., F) Tallied two goals in BC's 8-5 win over Michigan on Dec. 30...part of a line that registered 10 points against Northeastern on Nov. 3...recorded a career-high four assists in BC's 6-3 win over NU...scored a power-play goal at Maine on Dec. 10...tallied single goals in the Eagles' first win over Notre Dame on Oct. 13, against Denver on Oct. 20 and Wisconsin on Oct. 27...registered one assist at Merrimack on Nov. 17, and vs. New Hampshire on Nov. 18.
17 - A. J. Walker (So., F) May return to the lineup tonight after missing six games with a sprained right ankle...scored one goal in BC's 3-2 win at Denver on Oct. 21...scored one goal at Denver in BC's 3-2 win on Oct. 21.
19 - Chuck Kobasew (Fr., F) Leads team and tied for first nationally in game-winning goals with five...leads all HOCKEY EAST freshmen in scoring with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists)...scored one goal and one assist in his first game against Boston University on Jan. 6...scored one goal and three assists in the Eagles' 8-5 win over Michigan on Dec. 30...tallied the game-winning overtime goal at Harvard on Nov. 25...scored two goals in the Eagles' 7-2 win over Merrimack on Nov. 21...leads team with six power-play goals...three-time HOCKEY EAST Rookie of the Week honoree (Nov. 6, Nov. 27, Jan 7)...tied for third in HOCKEY EAST in scoring in conference games and tied for fifth overall...had four points (two goals, two assists) in the Eagles' 6-1 win at UMass-Lowell on Nov. 4.
22 - Ben Eaves (Fr., F) Notched one goal and one assist in BC's 5-2 win over BU on Jan. 7...tallied two assists in the Eagles' 8-5 win over Michigan on Dec. 30...started the season strong with a three-assist effort in BC's 4-1 win over Notre Dame on Oct. 13...had one goal and one assist in the Eagles' 9-5 victory over UMass-Amherst on Oct. 29...missed three games because of back spasms (Nov. 3 - Nov 7).
23 - J. D. Forrest (Fr., D) Competed with the U. S. National Junior Team in the World Junior Hockey Championship in Moscow, Russia from Dec. 26 - Jan 5, scored one goal and one assist in six games for the fifth-place U. S. team...has nine points (four goals, five assists)...scored a rare empty-net, shorthanded goal in BC's 5-2 win over BU on Jan. 7...notched one power-play goal at UMass Lowell on Jan. 12...scored one goal vs. Merrimack on Nov. 21...tallied one goal and two assists in BC's 9-5 win over UMass-Amherst on Oct. 29...missed two games (Nov. 4 - Nov. 7) because of a separated left shoulder suffered against Northeastern on Nov. 3.
27 - Mike Lephart (Sr., F) Assistant captain this season...reached the 100-career point mark with a two-assist game in the Eagles' 5-3 win at Notre Dame on Nov. 10...tallied two goals, including the game-tying goal with 42 seconds remaining in regulation, in a 3-2 overtime win at Harvard on Nov. 25...scored one goal and two assists vs. Merrimack on Nov. 21...fourth on the team in scoring with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists)...has three power-play goals...has seven multiple-point games...scored three points (two goals, one assist) in BC's 6-3 win over Northeastern on Nov. 3...part of a line that registered 10 points against NU on Nov. 3...named to Maverick Stampede All-Tournament team.
29 - Tom Egan (So., G) Has seen action in one game this season (Nov. 21 vs. Merrimack)...made one save in 3:17 of the third period against MC...may see more action due to the illness to goaltender Tim Kelleher.
30 - Scott Clemmensen (Sr., G) Recorded his 11th career shutout at Northeastern on Dec. 6, extending his school record...third among HOCKEY EAST goaltenders with a 1.68 GAA in HOCKEY EAST games only...third overall in HOCKEY EAST with a 2.11 GAA in all games...HOCKEY EAST Goaltender of the Month for October... HOCKEY EAST Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 16)...moved into fourth place on BC's all-time saves list vs. New Hampshire on Nov. 18, passing David Littman, who had 2,548 saves from 1985-89...named Maverick Stampede Tournament MVP after he won games against Notre Dame on Oct. 13, and Nebraska-Omaha on Oct. 14 as the Eagles claimed the championship...captured HOCKEY EAST's 1999-2000 Heaton Goaltending Award for the lowest goals against average in league play (1.98).
