BC Looks to Get Back on Track at Michigan State

Nov. 12, 2014

GAME NOTES: PDF  |  ISSUU (web based)

LIVE AUDIO (internet only on BCEagles.com): (P x P: Ryan Wooley  |  Color: Andy Powers)

LIVE STATS

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. MICHIGAN STATE

Boston College travels to the Midwest to take on Michigan State on Friday night at Munn Ice Arena, marking the first of its battles against the Big Ten during the 2014-15 regular season. Last season, the Eagles went 3-2-1 against the Big Ten conference, beating Penn State twice and Wisconsin, 9-2, on Jerry York night. BC lost at Michigan in the season opener followed by a draw and a loss at Minnesota last October. The Spartans have dominated the overall 25-game series, holding a 17-7-1 advantage over Boston College and winning perhaps the most important game between the two programs in 2007. Current Detroit Red Wing Justin Abedelkder broke the hearts of Boston College with the game-winning goal with 18.9 seconds left in regulation in the 2007 National Championship game in St. Louis on April 7, 2007. Since then, Boston College defeated Michigan State, 5-2, in Grand Forks, N.D., at the 2011 Ice Breaker Tournament to start the season. The Eagles have not played Michigan State in East Lansing since BC and MSU split a series on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17, 1990. The two storied programs have carried out a tradition of meeting one another in the NCAA Tournament, playing each other seven-consecutive times from March 17, 1984, to March 26, 1989. The last five decisions have gone to the opposing team with BC's last victory coming in the most recent meeting on Oct. 7, 2011. Friday marks head coach Jerry York's first contests against current head coach of the Spartans, Tom Anastos.

SPARTY ON

Michigan State will continues its path through Hockey East on Friday night after splitting with New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center, 4-3 and 2-5, on Nov. 7-8, respectively last weekend. Prior to their trip to Durham, N.H., the Spartans have taken on UMass Lowell (2-1 loss), Boston University (1-0 loss) and a pair against Massachusetts (5-3 win and 4-3 loss). The only club MSU has faced not part of Hockey East was a split decision against Ferris State on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 as the Spartans lost 1-0 on Friday and backed it with a 4-1 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday. The Spartans are led by senior Matt Berry (5-3-8) and sophomore Mackenzie MacEachern (3-5-8), both tied for 41st in the country in scoring as they each average a point per game. Berry's rate of 0.62 goals per game is tied for 18th in the nation. Third-year goaltender Jake Hildebrand ranks 34th in the NCAA with a 2.40 goals against average and 40th in save percentage (.912) as he backs a defense that is tied for 25th in college hockey, giving up 2.50 goals per game. The Spartans' offense is tied for 39th, scoring at a clip of 2.38 goals per game. Through eight games (3-5-0), MSU prides itself on its 10th-ranked penalty kill (29-of-32 - 90.6 percent).

POWER PLAY IS PARAMOUNT

Scoring on the power play has proved to be key to the Eagles' success in the early goings of the 2014-15 schedule. Boston College has scored at least one goal or more in each of its four victories thus far. Each time the Eagles have been denied on the power play, BC has lost the game. In all, Boston College has converted five of its 46 chances at a rate of 10.9 percent which ranks 42nd in the country right now.

ANOTHER SEASON...ANOTHER BENCHMARK

The Schiller Family Head Hockey Coach of Boston College, Jerry York, won his 500th game behind the Eagles' bench in only 811 games after a 2-1 victory at Denver on Oct. 31, 2014. York is in his 21st season as BC bench boss. York continues to maintain the label as college hockey's winninges coach all-time, possessing a  967-582-102 mark in his 43rd season as a college hockey head coach.

NOVEMBER RAIN

Boston College has not started the month of November 0-4 since Jerry York's first season as head coach during the 1994-95 season. 

REMEMBER THE LAST TIME BC LOST FOUR GAMES? 

The last time Boston College lost four consecutive games, you would have to look back to the 2003-04 season when the Eagles lost to New Hampshire (3-2 - Feb. 28), Maine (3-0 and 3-4, March 5-6) and Boston University (3-2, March 11). That season, the Eagles went on to compete in the 2004 Frozen Four, in Boston, eventually falling to Maine in the national semifinal, 2-1, on April 8, 2004.

WHERE THE OFFENSE STANDS

Through seven games, Boston College is averaging three goals per game, ranking 22nd in all of college hockey. That mark ranks sixth best in Hockey East.

FITZ BLITZ

Sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald exploded for another two-goal performance against Boston University on Nov. 7, marking his second outburst in four games. The North Reading, Mass., native had never scored a pair of goals in a game until the Denver contest on Nov. 1. Heading into Tuesday's game, Fitzgerald is seventh in the country in goals scored, averaging 0.78 goals per game.

SHORTY WANNA RIDE

Ryan Fitzgerald scored Boston College's first short-handed goal of the season. It not only stands as his first-career short-handed goal, it was the Eagles' first unassisted tally of the season. Fitzgerald is one of 11 Hockey East skaters with a short-handed goal this season.

POWER HOUR

Ryan Fitzgerald and Adam Gilmour have both netted two power play goals on the season and are currently tied for 17th in the country in that category. That mark is also tied for tops in Hockey East. Gilmour is also the first player to score a pair of power play goals in a game for Boston College since Patrick Brown scored a pair against Maine on Jan. 18, 2014.

FRESH FROSH

Rookies Alex Tuch and Zach Sanford are currently tied for third and seventh in scoring, respectively, in Hockey East. Tuch has scored three goals and four assists, including back-to-back multi-point games on Oct. 24-25, while Sanford has doled out six assists and tied for 14th in Hockey East.

GAUDREAU 2.0

In just his third game dressing this season, sophomore forward Matthew Gaudreau scored his first goal of the season on Nov. 11 against Harvard. Gaudreau has played in 11 career games and netted his first-career goal against Army on Nov. 10.

DEFENSIVE POSITIONING

Boston College's offense has been clicking but the defense has shown marked improvement from its opening night. The Eagles' defensive corps is ranked 34th in the country, surrendering 2.78 goals game. That mark is eighth in Hockey East.

RAD BRAD

The Nov. 11 game against Harvard marked senior Brad Barone's first start in six career games played. For his career, the Medfield, Mass., native owns a 3.31 goals against average and a .881 save percentage.

Boston College Athletics

BC Looks to Get Back on Track at Michigan State

Related News

Related Videos