Boston College Athletics
Boston College Outlasts UMass, 2-1
November 14, 2013 | Men's Hockey
Nov. 14, 2013
AMHERST, Mass. - The Boston College penalty-killing unit quieted the league's top power play unit in a tight 2-1 victory over Massachusetts on Thursday night at the Mullins Center. UMass was tied for fourth in the country on the power play, but behind junior netminder Brian Billett and the rest of the penalty-killing corps, BC snuffed out all seven Minutemen opportunities, including four in the third period.
Senior Kevin Hayes scored his first game-winning goal of the season in power play fashion midway through the second period after junior Johnny Gaudreau scored his 10th goal in nine games.
Billett stood his ground and anchored the Eagles' defense with 28 saves, winning his fourth game of the season. Billett outdueled UMass netminder, Mac Haight, who stopped 31 shots in his first collegiate start.
UMass appeared to have tied the game early in the third period, but after the goal was reviewed, the officials deemed it a no-goal, stating Troy Power was offsides.
The home team struck first, but the Eagles battled back and came away with their fifth-straight triumph.
Following a Steven Guzzo holding call expired at 18:01, the Minutemen hunkered down in the Eagles' end and lifted the puck on the forecheck.
The disc caromed out to the blue line, Colin Shea hammered it back towards Billett. The puck kicked off of Shane Walsh and Branden Gracel was able to gather it in front of the net to toss it through Billett's left pad for the 1-0 lead at 18:12 of the first period.
Gaudreau answered midway through the second frame. After killing off a Destry Straight penalty a few minutes into the second period, Boston College dominated the time of possession until Gaudreau found the back of the net.
Senior Bill Arnold cycled the puck down to the far corner where Isaac MacLeod was waiting far post to make the play. MacLeod took two strides and fired a crisp cross-crease feed where Gaudreau snuck behind Haight and tapped in the one-timer at 9:25 to tie up, 1-1.
On their fifth attempt of the game, Boston College found the back on the power play four minutes after Gaudreau's marker.
Ryan Fitzgerald quarterbacked the play and triggered the scoring combination from the half wall. Junior Danny Linell snared the pass up top and hammered it towards the Minuteman net. The puck clanked off the right pipe, but Hayes was in perfect position to swoop in and sweep the rebound back at 13:42 for the power play marker and a 2-1 advantage.
The Eagles survived an early scare to start the third period. UMass scored on a Michael Matheson penalty, but upon further review, the officials deemed the Minutemen offside and negated a Troy Power goal at 3:48.
Boston College's penalty killing unit stepped up to the plate to close out the third frame, shutting down all four Minutemen power play chances to cling on to the 2-1 victory.
Boston College returns to Kelley Rink to close out the Hockey East series with Massachusetts tomorrow night for a 7 p.m. puck drop. The Eagles will take on another mid-week contest on Nov. 20 when BC crosses into Cambridge to take on Harvard Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Game Notes
- Kevin Hayes scored his third power play goal of the season and 11th of his career on Thursday night. The Dorchester, Mass., native has tallied 11 power play goals in his career, making up nearly half his total career of 23. Hayes has scored a goal in three straight games now, marking a career high. Previously, he scored back-to-back goals on three occasions.
- Rookie Ryan Fitzgerald continues to dominate in his early goings at Boston College. The Boston Bruins draft pick has scored at least one point in his last five contests. Fitzgerald has accounted for three goals and four assists in his last five outings.
- Johnny Gaudreau has scored a goal in his last five games, marking his longest-career goal-scoring streak as an Eagle.
