Men's Hockey Combats UNH on NBC Sports

Dec. 4, 2014

GAME NOTES: PDF  |  ISSUU (web based)  |  New Hampshire notes

TELEVISION: NBC Sports Network (P x P: Dan Parkhurst  |  Color: Ken Hodge) (NBC Sports Channel Finder)

RADIO: 680 AM (P x P: Jon Rish  |  Color: Andy Powers)

LIVE STATS

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE

Boston College ships off to New Hampshire Friday night for a primetime showdown on NBC Sports Network. Last season, the Eagles were in a bit of a slide, having won only one game in four outings (1-2-1) before their series with UNH. After BC swept the Wildcats with a 6-2 gashing at home followed by a 2-1 win at the Whittemore Center, Boston College used that UNH series as leverage to rattle off a 19-game unbeaten streak of 17-0-2, matching Jerry York’s longest unbeaten stretch on The Heights. Boston College has enjoyed recent success against UNH, having won eight of the last 10 encounters (8-1-1), including a 7-1-1 mark at the Whittemore Center from March 13, 2009 to now. Success in Durham, N.H., was not always been the case with York. Since taking over, York’s clubs posted a 3-16-1 mark within the confines of the Whittemore Center starting off. After sweeping the series in 2013-14, Boston College upped its overall advantage in series history to a 67-63-13 mark, including a 47-43-12 total in Hockey East play. BC and UNH have some binding ties as well. Not only are York and Wildcats’ head coach Dick Umile two of the most celebrated coaches in the sport, they have combined for 1,515 victories and over 68 years of combined coaching experience. York is in his 43rd season at BC while celebrates his 25 season in Durham. Additionally, BC assistant coach Mike Ayers was New Hampshire’s goaltender from 2000-04. Ayers was voted second-team All-American in 2003.

CAT CALLS

New Hampshire is still looking to find its stride as the first half of the season starts to wind down. The Wildcats are 4-8 overall with just one victory in five tries in Hockey East action. UNH is hungry for a victory as the Wildcats are in the throes of a three-game losing streak, having lost to Rensselaer, Providence and Northeastern in reverse order their last three trips. New Hampshire had a promising start with wins over Michigan (5-1, Oct. 17) and Colorado College (6-2, Oct. 25) in dominating fashion but then went on the first of its second three-game skid starting on Oct. 31 with loses to UMass Lowell (2-0, 8-2) and Michigan State (4-3). Tyler Kelleher leads UNH with nine points, including four goals and five assists, while UNH touts a pair of rookies in the top 50 amongst first-year skaters. Andrew Poturalski (4-4-8) and Warren Foegele (1-4-5) are tied for 21st and 32nd, respectively, amongst all NCAA rookies in scoring. Speaking of freshmen, rookie Adam Clark has taken the reins in net for New Hampshire and holds a 2.56 goals against average (42nd) and .903 save percentage (59th). Clark has started all 12 games for the ‘Cats. Both the club’s offense and defense ranks near the middle of the pack. The defense is tied for 29th, surrendering 2.67 goals per game while the offense is tied for 32nd, scoring 2.50 goals per game. The special teams’ units have not experienced the same harmony. The Wildcats have done a fine job keeping the puck out of the net on the penalty kill, having prevented 40-of-45 (88.9 percent) opponent power play chances but have only been able to score on 4-of-44 (9.1 percent) opportunities.

NO-PANIC NOVEMBER

Boston College posted a 3-6-0 mark in the month of November, finishing with a .333 winning percentage. That mark stands as the Eagles’ roughest November since the 2007-08 season. Boston College did not win a game in November 2007, finishing with an 0-3-3 mark for a winning percentage of .250. That year, the Eagles turned it around by winning the Beanpot, Hockey East Tournament championship and 2008 National Championship in Denver.

DOUBLE GOOSE EGGS

Boston College has not been shut out twice in a season since the 2011-12 ledger. That year, the Eagles went on to hoist their fifth national championship in Tampa. BC has been shut out by Providence (1-0, Nov. 29) and UConn (1-0, Nov. 5) so far this year. The Eagles have not been shut out three times in a year since the 2003-04 season.

REACHING NEW “HEIGHTS”

On. Nov. 21, 2014, at Massachusetts, the Eagles secured a 5-3 victory to make Jerry York the winningest coach in Boston College hockey history. Heading into the contest, York was even with his former coach John “Snooks” Kelley at 501 total victories. Following the 5-3 decision, York holds the claim as both the winningest coach at his alma mater (503-249-68) and in college hockey history (970-584-102).

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 five of its seven victories thus far. Conversely, the Eagles are 2-7 when denied a power play goal. In all, Boston College has converted six of its 61 chances at a rate of 9.81 percent which ranks 49th in the country right now.

WHERE THE OFFENSE STANDS

Through 14 games, Boston College is averaging 2.93 goals per game, which is tied for 22nd best in all of college hockey. That mark is fourth best in Hockey East.

CALLING ON CAL

On Nov. 21 at UMass, sophomore Chris Calnan not only recorded his first-career two-goal game, each variety of goal was also a first. Calnan scored his first-career power play while his strike midway through the third period stood as BC’s game-winning goal, also a career first. Calnan also posted his first-career three-game point streak (11/21-28).

DEFENSIVE POSITIONING

Boston College’s defense is tied for 33rd, surrendering 2.71 goals per game. That mark currently ranks eighth in Hockey East.

CAREER DAY FOR DEMKO

Despite suffering the loss in a 1-0 decision at Providence on November 29, Thatcher Demko posted a new career best with 37 saves.

Boston College Athletics

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