Boston College Athletics
Boston College, Notre Dame Faceoff Friday On ESPN Classic
November 06, 2008 | Men's Hockey
Nov. 6, 2008
COLLEGE HOCKEY GAME PREVIEW
Game 7
Notre Dame at Boston College
Date: Friday, Nov. 7, 2008
Faceoff: 7:05 p.m.
Location: Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Venue (Capacity): Conte Forum/Kelley Rink (7,884)
Television: ESPN Classic; ESPN 360
Radio Broadcast: WROL 950 AM; bceagles.com; WZBC 90.3 FM; wzbc.org
Live Stats: bceagles.com
Team Records: Boston College - 5-1-0, 3-1-0 Hockey East Association; Notre Dame - 4-3-0, 2-2-0 Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
Team Rankings: Boston College - No. 2 USA Today, No. 2 USCHO.com; Notre Dame - No. 12 USA Today, No. 12 USCHO.com
Game 8
Boston College at Maine
Date: Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008
Faceoff: 4:05 p.m.
Location: Bangor, Maine
Television: ESPNU
Venue (Capacity): Alfond Arena (5,445)
Radio Broadcast: WROL 950 AM; bceagles.com
Team Records: Boston College - 5-1-0, 3-1-0 Hockey East Association; Maine - 3-3-0, 0-2-0 HEA
Team Rankings: Boston College - No. 2 USA Today, No. 2 USCHO.com; Maine - NR USA Today, USCHO.com
DROP THE PUCK: No. 2/2 Boston College will break from its Hockey East Association schedule this Friday to host No. 12/12 Notre Dame at 7 p.m. The teams last met for the 2008 national championship in April 2008. In that game, Boston College defeated Notre Dame 4-1 to earn the NCAA title - its third in program history. Following Friday's non-conference game, BC will return to Hockey East play on Sunday, Nov. 9 when it travels to Maine to face the Black Bears at 4 p.m.
ESPN CLASSIC, ESPN360: Friday's game against Notre Dame will be televised by ESPN Classic with Justin Kutcher (play-by-play) and Damian DiGuilian (color analyst) calling the action. It will also be available online at ESPN360.com.
ESNPU: Sunday's game, also called by Kutcher and DiGuilian, will be carried by ESPNU.
RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION: All BC hockey games are streamed live over the internet at bceagles.com and are carried live on WROL 950 AM. Friday's radio broadcast will be handled by play-by-play announcer Jon Rish and analyst Bill Newell. Additionally, BC student radio station WZBC 90.3 FM will carry Friday's contest against Notre Dame.
LAST TIME OUT: Senior captain Brock Bradford scored the game-tying goal midway through the third period and netted the decisive goal at 3:27 of overtime to lift second-ranked Boston College to a 4-3 Hockey East win over Merrimack before 2,231 fans in Lawler Arena. The visiting Eagles fought back from three one-goal deficits before earning the victory.
THE POLLS: Boston College retained its No. 2 ranking in both major polls released on Monday, Nov. 3. BC has not dropped out of the top four in either poll this season.
OCTOBER'S IN THE BOOKS: With college hockey's first month of play now complete, Boston College enters its eight-game month of November with a 5-1-0 record. Six games into the season, sophomore Brian Gibbons (3 goals, 7 assists) leads the team in points while senior captain Brock Bradford (6 goals, 3 assists) is the team's top goal scorer. Bradford's six goals are first among all skaters in the league while Gibbons ranks third among all Hockey East players in points.
POWER PLAY: BC has scored 13 power-play goals in six games and is converting its chances at a 27.1 percent rate (13-for-48). That mark ranks fourth among national leaders. BC has scored multiple man-advantage goals in five of its six games this season. Individually, Gibbons is the top power-play producer, having totaled seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in man-advantage situations. Bradford is the team's top goal scorer in power-play situations with four power-play goals in six games.
PENALTY KILL: BC has killed 89.7 percent (26-of-29) of its opponent power plays, including all five Merrimack power plays in the team's two-game series last weekend. BC last allowed a power-play goal at 15:05 of the second period in the team's 3-2 home win over Vermont (Oct. 24). In penalty-killing situations, Bradford and Gibbons have each registered two points - one goal and one assist - while junior Matt Price has also scored a shorthanded goal for BC.
FROM THE FACEOFF DOT: Boston College has averaged a win at the faceoff circle 49.2 percent (212-of-431) of the time through the team's first six games. Junior center Ben Smith, who has taken 25 percent of BC's faceoffs, has an impressive 59.0 percent (62-for-106) win rate. Freshman center Paul Carey, who has taken 33 faceoffs in the last three games, has amassed an impressive 60.6 percent win rate during this stretch.
SMITH'S STREAK SNAPPED: Junior center Ben Smith, who recorded one point in each of BC's first five games, was held off the scoresheet at Merrimack (Oct. 31), breaking a string of 12 games dating back March 15, 2008 in which Smith tallied at least one point. During that time, Smith registered 17 points on eight goals and nine assists. Smith concluded last year's national championship season by scoring one goal in each of the team's final seven games. The Avon Conn., resident currently ranks third on the team with five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in six games this season.
COLLEGIATE FIRSTS: Five BC freshmen who have seen regular playing time this season have tallied their first collegiate points, while four first-year forwards have all recorded their first career goals. Cam Atkinson netted his first collegiate goal - the gamewinner - in the team's season-opening win over Wisconsin (Oct. 10) while Barry Almeida scored his first collegiate goal in his second game - a 4-3 loss at Northeastern (Oct. 18). Paul Carey recorded his first goal in the team's 3-2 home win over Vermont (Oct. 24) while Jimmy Hayes scored two first-period goals - the first goals of his career - in leading BC to a 4-1 home win over Merrimack (Oct. 30). Additionally, defenseman Tommy Cross registered his first career point - an assist - on classmate Paul Carey's first career goal against Vermont (Oct. 24).
ON THE OFFENSIVE: Sophomore defenseman Nick Petrecki and junior defenseman Carl Sneep both registered multiple-assist efforts against Merrimack last Thursday. Petrecki and Sneep assisted on each of freshman forward Jimmy Hayes' two goals. It marked the second multiple-point effort of Petrecki's career as the Clifton Park, N.Y., resident scored twice, including the overtime gamewinner, in a 6-5 victory over Harvard in the 2008 Beanpot championship game. For Carl Sneep, who recorded his second multiple-assist effort of the season against the Warriors, it marked the third career multiple-point performance. Sneep also recorded two points in the team's 6-0 win over RIT on Dec. 30, 2007 in Minneapolis and two points - one goal and one assist - in BC's 5-3 home win over Bowling Green (Oct. 17, 2008).
2008 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, REVISTED: Nathan Gerbe scored twice and added two assists in BC's 4-1 win over Notre Dame at the Pepsi Center as the Eagles hoisted the national championship trophy for the third time in program history on April 12, 2008 in Denver. Joe Whitney and Ben Smith also scored for the Eagles. Gerbe, who led the nation in scoring with 35 goals and 32 assists, earned Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player honors after scoring five goals and three assists in two games. Gerbe was joined by forward Ben Smith, defenseman and team captain Mike Brennan and goaltender John Muse on the Frozen Four All-Tournament team.
THE NOTRE DAME SERIES: Boston College and Notre Dame are meeting for the 28th time in series history. The Eagles are 15-10-2 in the all-time series, 6-4-2 under head coach Jerry York and 7-6-1 in Kelley Rink. Notre Dame defeated BC 7-1 in the last meeting between the teams in BC's Kelley Rink on Oct. 20, 2006. The Irish are 3-1-1 in the last five meetings between the teams. In each of Notre Dame's last three victories, the Eagles were ranked No. 1 in the country at the time.
IRISH TIES: Friday's non-conference matchup between Boston College and Notre Dame will have special significance for one family in particular - the Murphys. Justin, who is in his senior year at Boston College as a political science major and hockey team manager, will welcome younger brother Kyle who is now a freshman forward at Notre Dame. Justin and Kyle are the second and third of Karen and Michael Murphy of Fair Haven, N.J.'s four sons. Their eldest son Ryan was a four-year lettermen at Boston College from 2001-05, while their youngest son Brendan is a sixth-grader at the Knollwood School.
THE MAINE SERIES: Boston College and Maine will meet for the 97th time in the all-time series that dates back to 1979; the Eagles hold a 50-38-8 advantage and are unbeaten in each of the last seven games (5-0-2). Last winter, BC finished 1-0-2 in the three-game regulars-season series. Maine earned its last win over Boston College on Feb. 18, 2006 - a 3-1 victory at Alfond Arena. The BC senior class is 8-3-3 in 14 meetings over the last three-plus seasons.
THE COACH: Jerry York is in his 37th season as a head coach and his 15th season at Boston College. He is the second winningest coach in NCAA history and first among active Division I coaches. He has an 808-516-84 career record and a 341-181-50 mark as coach of the Eagles. York is a 1967 graduate of Boston College where he was a three-year letterman and earned All-America and All-New England first-team honors in 1966-67.
POSTSEASON SUCCESS: In NCAA Tournament competition, York is the winningest coach of all time, having guided his teams to 29 victories - five as head coach at Bowling Green State University and 24 at BC.
ONE OF ONLY TWO: On March 29, 2008, York captured his 800th career victory as Boston College defeated Minnesota, 5-2, in the NCAA Tournament's Northeast Regional in Worcester, Mass. He joins Ron Mason (924) as the only two coaches in college hockey to earn 800 (or more) career wins.
ELEVEN AMAZING YEARS: In the last 11 seasons, he has guided the Eagles to eight Frozen Four appearances, four Hockey East regular-season trophies, six Hockey East Tournament titles and two national championships - 2001 and 2008.
GREAT COACHES, GREAT PLAYERS: Individually, York has guided 33 players to All-America first-team honors, including 2000 Hobey Baker Award winner Mike Mottau and 2008 USA Hockey College Player of the Year Nathan Gerbe.
ATKINSON COLLECTS LEAGUE'S FIRST ROOKIE OF THE WEEK AWARD: Freshman forward Cam Atkinson scored the game-winning goal at 13:30 of the third period in top-ranked BC's 5-4 season-opening victory over No. 14 Wisconsin and earned Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors. Atkinson was one of two BC freshmen to record their first collegiate points in their first game. Classmate Jimmy Hayes registered the secondary assist on Atkinson's decisive goal.
THE SENIORS: BC's Class of 2009 is comprised of seven seniors - F Brock Bradford, F Benn Ferriero, D Tim Filangieri, D Anthony Aiello, D Tim Kunes, F Kyle Kucharski and F Andrew Orpik. Led by Ferriero, who has played in all 128 games over the last three seasons, the septet has combined to participate in 744 career contests. It has captured two Hockey East Tournament titles, advanced to all three Frozen Fours and earned the 2008 national title. The class enters Friday's game against Notre Dame with a combined record of 85-37-12.
THE CAPTAINS: Brock Bradford serves as team captain in 2008-09. He is joined by assistant captains Benn Ferriero and Tim Filangieri.
THE GOALIE: Boston College's goaltending duties are in the firm grasp of sophomore John Muse. Muse played in all 2,725 minutes in net during the team's 44-game 2007-08 campaign. He led all goaltenders in the nation in that category and totaled a BC single-season record 1,171 saves.
EAGLES CHOSEN AS HOCKEY EAST PRESEASON FAVORITE: For the eighth time in the past 11 years, Boston College was chosen as the preseason favorite to win the league's regular-season title, according to the Hockey East Coaches' Poll released at the annual media day held on Sept. 29. BC earned six first-place votes and a total of 86 points. Boston University was picked second with 80 points, just two points ahead of the league's defending regular-season champion New Hampshire.
THE ROSTER, BY POSITION: Forwards (14): Barry Almeida, Cam Atkinson, Tommy Atkinson, Brock Bradford, Paul Carey, Benn Ferriero, Brian Gibbons, Jimmy Hayes, Kyle Kucharski, Matt Lombardi, Andrew Orpik, Matt Price, Ben Smith, and Joe Whitney. Defensemen (8): Anthony Aiello, Tommy Cross, Tim Filangieri, Tim Kunes, Malcolm Lyles, Nick Petrecki, Carl Sneep and Edwin Shea. Goalies (3): Alex Kremer, John Muse and Chris Venti.
THE ROSTER, BY STATE: Massachusetts (11): D Anthony Aiello (Braintree), F Barry Almeida (Springfield), F Paul Carey (Weymouth), F Benn Ferriero (Essex), F Brian Gibbons (Braintree), F Kyle Kucharski (Saugus), F Matt Lombardi (Milton), G John Muse (East Falmouth), D Edwin Shea (Shrewsbury), G Chris Venti (Needham) and F Joe Whitney (Reading). New York (4): D Tim Filangieri (Islip Terrace), D Tim Kunes (Huntington), F Andrew Orpik (East Amherst) and D Nick Petrecki (Clifton Park). Connecticut (5): F Cam Atkinson (Greenwich), F Tommy Atkinson (Greenwich), D Tommy Cross (Simsbury), G Alex Kremer (Darien) and F Ben Smith (Avon). British Columbia (1): F Brock Bradford (Burnaby). Florida (1): D Malcolm Lyles (Miami Gardens). Minnesota (1): D Carl Sneep (Nisswa). Ontario (1): F Matt Price (Milton).
FOUR PLAYERS RECEIVE PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA DISTINCTION: Defenseman Nick Petrecki and forward Joe Whitney each received preseason All-America first-team honors, the online publication Inside College Hockey has posted. In addition to Petrecki and Whitney, sophomore goaltender John Muse and junior forward Ben Smith earned preseason All-America third-team recognition. Additionally, Smith, who registered 50 points on 25 goals and 25 assists last winter, captured College Hockey News preseason All-America first-team honors.
A BRIEF GLANCE BACK: Last season, Boston College finished with a 25-11-8 record. The Eagles were 11-9-7 in Hockey East, finishing fourth in the regular-season standings. The Eagles won the Hockey East Tournament, advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Frozen Four and won the 2008 NCAA title.
THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER: On Friday, Oct. 10, just before the team's season-opening game against Wisconsin, BC paid a final salute to last year's title-winning team by raising the 2008 national championship banner. All-American Nathan Gerbe and 2007-08 assistant captain Matt Greene returned to Kelley Rink to help commemorate the occasion. Also in attendance were three members of BC's 1949 national championship team and six players from the 2001 NCAA title team.
1949: Ed Casey, Len Ceglarski and Giles Threadgold. 2001: Bobby Allen, Bill Cass, Scott Clemmensen, Justin Dziama, Tim Kelleher and Mark McLennan.
