Boston College Athletics
Hockey Opens Home Slate With UMass-Lowell
October 17, 2001 | Men's Hockey
Oct. 17, 2001
Complete Boston College/UMass-Lowell Game Notes in PDF Format
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FRIDAY'S GAME
Boston College enters Friday's game against UMass-Lowell with a 1-1-1 overall record. The Eagles played their last two games in the Nye Frontier Classic, hosted by the University of Alaska-Anchorage on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12-13. In the first round, BC fell to Denver 4-3 after mounting a late-game comeback. On the second night, the UAA came back and tied BC, 4-4, with no time remaining regulation. After a scoreless overtime period, the two teams earned a regulation tie, but the Eagles won the overtime shootout, 2-1, to give the team a second-place finish in the tournament. BC opened the season with a 5-1 victory at Vermont on Oct. 6.
UMass-Lowell won its only game thus far this season with a 7-3 victory over Niagara on Oct. 12.
AGAINST THE RIVER HAWKS
Boston College and UMass-Lowell have met 63 times since the 1978-79 season. The Eagles hold a 37-10-6 series advantage over the River Hawks, including wins in the last 15 games dating back to Jan. 30, 1998.
Last season, BC swept the regular-season series, 3-0, and defeated the River Hawks in the semifinals of the HOCKEY EAST Tournament. BC's four wins came on Nov. 4 at Tsongas Arena (6-1), which was Jerry York's 600th career win, Jan. 12 at Tsongas (2-1), Feb. 2 at Kelley Rink (4-3)' and March 16 at the FleetCenter (5-1).
Senior captain Jeff Giuliano leads all Eagles in career scoring against UMass-Lowell with nine points (two goals, seven assists). Ben Eaves and J.D. Forrest, both sophomores, are the team's second-leading scorers with four points apiece. Eaves has scored two goals and two assists, while Forrest has notched one goal and three assists.
LAST TIME AGAINST UMASS-LOWELL
Chuck Kobasew netted his first career hat trick as Boston College defeated UMass-Lowell in the semifinal round of the 2001 HOCKEY EAST Tournament on March 16 at the FleetCenter. Ben Eaves and Brian Gionta each added goals in the game as the Eagles advanced to their fourth-straight HOCKEY EAST Tournament championship game. BC scored three power-play goals in the game as Scott Clemmensen made 28 saves - including a league-record 23 in the second period - in the win.
LAST TIME OUT
Boston College built a 4-2 lead in the third period against Alaska-Anchorage, but the Seawolves mounted a comeback in the final three and a half minutes in the game to earn a 4-4 tie in the second round of the Nye Frontier Classic, hosted by UAA. Ryan Shannon and Bill Cass (shorthanded) each scored in the first period to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead, but Alaska-Anchorage battled back to close the game within one goal three times, 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3. Alaska-Anchorage tied the game with one second remaining on the clock. The two teams a scoreless overtime period, but the Eagles earned a second-place tournament finish after edging UAA in an overtime shootout, 2-1.
ALL-TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES
Sophomores forward Ben Eaves and sophomore defenseman J.D. Forrest were both selected to the Nye Frontier Classic All-Tournament Team for their performances against Denver and Alaska-Anchorage. Eaves was tied for the tournament's third-leading scorer, with one goal and two assists and was an active part in the Eagles ' power-play unit that went 4-for-11 in the tournament. Forrest, also a member of the both power-play and penalty-kill units, logged nearly half a game on the ice in each of the two games. He also recorded one goal and two assists in the tournament.
WHO'S HOT
Three players - all sophomores - have recorded points in each of the Eagles' three games this season ... Tony Voce has netted seven points - three goals and four assists - in three games ... Ben Eaves has also registered seven points so far this season on two goals and five assists ... J.D. Forrest has scored one goal and added two assists for three points ... the power-play unit has scored at least two goals in each game this season. The unit is clicking at 47.1 percent (8-for-17) through three games.
EAGLES IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Boston College is ranked 13th in the Oct. 15 edition of the American Hockey Coaches Association of America/USA Today poll. The team was ranked seventh in the Oct. 8 edition of the poll. In the USCHO.com poll, the Eagles fell to 14th-place in the Oct. 15 edition, falling from their ranking of 11 in the preseason poll.
EAGLES GET THEIR WINGS
Of the 10 members of the freshman class, three Eagles have already made their marks on the BC statistics. Forwards Dave Spina and Ryan Shannon recorded their first career goals at the Nye Frontier Classic, while goaltender Matti Kaltiainen made his first career start in the tournament. Spina scored his goal in the Eagles' contest against Denver on Oct. 12, netting a power-play goal 5:16 into the first period. Shannon made a mark in the UAA game, netting his first career goal at 6:36 of the first period to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. He later assisted on two goals in the game. Shannon previously recorded his first career point on Tony Voce's second goal in the Vermont game. Kaltiainen started the Eagles' game against Denver, making 21 saves in the game, including several on odd-man rushes.
TEAM STREAK SNAPPED
With Boston College's loss to Denver on Oct. 12, the team had its 11-game winning streak snapped that dated back to the its 6-3 victory at UMass-Amherst on Feb. 24, 2001. The streak included the last 10 games of the 2000-01 season (including the team's national championship) and lasted through the team's victory at Vermont on Oct. 6. The winning streak was Boston College's longest under Jerry York.
INDIVIDUAL STREAKS CONTINUE
After recording an assist on Jeff Giuliano's third-period goal against Alaska-Anchorage on Oct. 13, Tony Voce extended his personal scoring streak to seven games, dating back to the championship game of the 2001 HOCKEY EAST Tournament on March 17 ... three players - Voce, Ben Eaves and J.D. Forrest - have scored in each of the Eagles' games this season.
KELLEHER DEBUTS AS STARTER
For the first time in four seasons, Boston College had a new starter in goal on opening night. Junior Tim Kelleher started in net against Vermont on Oct. 6, marking the first goalkeeper in four years other than Scott Clemmensen - who graduated in 2001 - to start an opening night game for BC. Ironically, Clemmensen, who signed with the New Jersey Devils after he graduated, made his NHL debut that same night, entering in the third period of the Devils' 6-1 loss to Washington.
LEAGUE HONOREE
For his five-point performance (three goals, two assists) against Vermont, sophomore Tony Voce earned HOCKEY EAST Player of the Week honors on Oct. 8.
YOUNG IN THE BACK
The Boston College defense is a young unit, complete with four freshmen. On opening night, the corps features one junior (Bill Cass), two sophomores (J.D. Forrest and Brett Peterson) and three freshmen (John Adams, Andrew Alberts and Taylor Leahy). The other two members of the defense - sophomore Joe Schuman and freshman Ben McManama - are also underclassmen.
EAGLES IN HOCKEY EAST PRESEASON POLL
Boston College was selected third, and received three of the nine possible first-place votes, in the 2001-02 HOCKEY EAST Preseason Poll, released at the league's annual Media Day on Monday, Oct. 1. Providence was first in the poll, followed by Maine with four first-place votes. New Hampshire and Boston University followed the Eagles and each received one first-place vote. UMass-Lowell, Northeastern, Merrimack and UMass-Amherst round out the poll.
2001-02 EAGLE CAPTAIN
Senior forward Jeff Giuliano will serve as the team's captain for the 2001-02 season. Last season, Giuliano set career highs in goals (14), assists (22) and points (36). He is the team's second-highest returning scorer from 2000-01. The Nashua, N.H. product was awarded the James E. Tiernan Memorial Award as the team's Most Improved Player last season. In his three-year career at the Heights, Giuliano has appeared in all 128 games the Eagles have played, recording 29 goals and 50 assists for 79 total points.
ASSISTANT CAPTAIN
Senior forward Ales Dolinar will serve as the team's assistant captain this season. Over his career, Dolinar has appeared in 123 games, recording 19 goals and 31 assists for 50 points. He posted career numbers in both assists (16) and points (23) last season as a junior.
2000-01 IN REVIEW
Boston College capped, perhaps, the finest season in school history last season by winning the 2001 NCAA Division I National Championship. The team compiled 33 wins - a school record - and also won the Beanpot, HOCKEY EAST regular-season championship and HOCKEY EAST Tournament championship. Three Eagles - Brian Gionta, Bobby Allen and Krys Kolanos - earned JOFA/AHCA All-America honors. Gionta was the HOCKEY EAST Player of the Year, while Chuck Kobasew was the league's Rookie of the Year. Gionta and Allen were All-Conference first team selections and Kolanos and Kobasew were second-team honorees. Kobasew, Ben Eaves and J.D. Forrest all earned spots on the HOCKEY EAST All-Rookie Team.
EAGLE NEWCOMERS
Boston College's roster features 10 new players this season: two goaltenders (Matti Kaltiainen and Robbie Miller), four defensemen (John Adams, Andrew Alberts, Taylor Leahy and Ben McManama) and four forwards (Ned Havern, Ryan Murphy, Ryan Shannon and Dave Spina).
OFF-SEASON COMINGS AND GOINGS
Over the summer, three Boston College players opted to forgo their remaining collegiate eligibility and pursue professional careers. Senior defenseman Brooks Orpik signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, while sophomore forward Chuck Kobasew left the Eagles to play in the Western Hockey League. Junior forward Krys Kolanos also decided to pursue professional hockey, joining the Phoenix Coyotes's organization. All three players were first-round draft picks in the NHL Entry Draft.
The Eagles also gained back a player as junior Anthony D'Arpino rejoined the team after playing the latter half of the 2000-01 season with Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League.
CONSISTENCY BREEDS SUCCESS
The Boston College coaching staff is in its seventh season working together, guiding the Eagles. Head coach Jerry York arrived at the Heights before the 1994-95 season and brought associate head coach Scott Paluch with him from Bowling Green. That season marked associate head coach Jim Logue's second with the team. A year later, assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh joined the staff. In the last four seasons, Boston College has recorded a 118-42-13 mark (.720 winning percentage). The Eagles won three HOCKEY EAST Tournaments over that span and were the 2001 national champions.
YORK REWARDED
This summer, head coach Jerry York signed a new, five-year contract that runs through the 2005-06 season. Sixth on the college hockey career wins list, York has led the Eagles to the last four Frozen Fours, culminating in a national championship in 2001. He has also won three HOCKEY EAST Tournament titles and coached 11 All-American selections since arriving back at the Heights.
FAMILIAR FACES STAYING TOGETHER
The Eagles' roster boasts six sets of teammates who played together in high school, as well as at the Heights. Senior assistant captain Ales Dolinar and sophomore Tony Voce were teammates at Lawrence Academy (Mass.). Freshmen Ryan Shannon and Taylor Leahy both came to BC from Taft (Conn.). Sophomore Joe Schuman and freshmen Andrew Alberts both played defense at Benilde-St. Margaret's in Minnesota. Junior A.J. Walker and sophomore Ben Eaves were also linemates at Shattuck St. Mary's (Minn.) before re-teaming at the Heights. Sophomore Justin Dziama and freshman Ben McManama played alongside each other at Noble & Greenough (Mass.). And, while not a high school team, four players were members of the United States National Development Program teams: junior Bill Cass, sophomore J.D. Forrest, and freshmen Ryan Murphy and Dave Spina.
SUMMER IN LAKE PLACID
Three Boston College players participated in the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. from August 3-6. Sophomore Ben Eaves and freshmen Ryan Murphy and Dave Spina attended the camp from which the U.S. junior national team will be chosen. Eaves and Murphy also played with Team USA at the USA Hockey Summer Challenge, Aug. 7-12 in Lake Placid, and are still under consideration for the U.S. Junior National Team that will compete in the 2002 IIHF World Junior Championships to be held in the Czech Republic, Dec. 25-Jan. 4.
BANNER RAISING
Boston College will unveil its 2001 national championship banner on Friday, Oct. 26 in a pregame ceremony prior to the Notre Dame hockey game. Game time is 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Freshman defenseman John Adams missed both games in the Nye Frontier Classic with a shoulder injury.
UP NEXT
Boston College will face HOCKEY EAST rival Northeastern on Saturday, Oct. 20 in a 7 p.m. game at Matthews Arena. The Eagles will return home to Kelley Rink on Friday, Oct. 26 for the traditional night-before-football contest with Notre Dame. BC's 2001 national championship banner will be unveiled in a pre-game ceremony.
