Cross-Town Series with Northeastern Set for Saturday-Sunday

GAME DAY INFORMATION
WHEN	Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. // Sunday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.
WHERE	Kelley Rink at Conte Forum (Dec. 5) // Matthews Arena (Dec. 6)
HOW TO FOLLOW	Live Stats \| Video \| Audio (Dec. 5) // Live Stats \| Video \| Audio (Dec. 6)
GAME NOTES	PDF // WEB
MEDIA CENTER	Radio (WEEI 850 AM) - P x P: Jon Rish // Color: Andy Powers // Engineer: Kevin Collins

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. NORTHEASTERN
Two Beanpot foes start off their annual Hockey East series Saturday night on The Heights as Northeastern makes its way to Kelley Rink, a venue the Huskies have not won in since March 7, 2008. Mike Brennan scored the equalizer at 15:02 of the third before Wade MacLeod scored the overtime winner 3:56 into overtime. Since the two Boston adversaries played their first meeting at Kelley Rink on Dec. 5, 1988, the Eagles possess a 32-9-1 record over the Huskies on The Heights. Boston College has not lost to Northeastern in its last eight meetings, stringing together a 7-1 mark, but the last win NU posted over the Eagles was a meaningful one. Northeastern ended Boston College 19-game winning streak that culminated in BC's last national title in 2012 by topping the Eagles, 3-1, at Matthews Arena on Oct. 13, 2012. This cross-town battle stretches back almost 83 years when BC won the opening game of the 222-game series in 8-6 fashion on Feb. 4, 1933. In all, the Eagles lead the Huskies 162-48-15 with a 75-30-1-0 advantage in Hockey East tilts. BC has dominated the series from the onset, winning 57 of the first 65 installments. In the most recent meeting between Boston College and Northeastern, the Huskies knocked off BC in the opening marks Jerry York's 15th contest against Northeastern's Jim Madigan. York is 11-2-1 against Madigan over the course of the last four seasons.

LOWDOWN ON THE HOUNDS
Northeastern returns to American soil after playing its last two games at the Friendship Four Tournament in Belfast, Ireland. The Huskies come back to Boston on a high note after thrashing Colgate, 7-1, on Nov. 28. NU also started off its season with a 2-1 home victory over the Red Raiders in its home opener on Oct. 10, but between those two victories, it has been a tough go for Northeastern. The Huskies went winless over the course of those two victories with a 0-10-2 mark as Northeastern was outscored, 46-24, over that winless spell. Overall, Northeastern is 2-11-2 with a 0-7-2 mark in Hockey East play. Third-year forward Zach Aston-Reese is the Huskies leading scorer with 12 points (4-8-12) while sophomore Nolan Stevens guides NU in the scoring department with five goals. Overall, Northeastern's offense is averaging 2.20 goals per game, ranking it 50th in all of college hockey and 10th in the league. The defense is anchored by a pair of goalies in rookie Ryan Ruck and junior Derick Roy. Ruck is winless (0-8-1) in nine games started with a .891 save percentage and a 2.98 goals against while Roy has won two of six starts (2-3-1) with a .833 save percentage and a 3.01 goals against. The Huskies defense as a whole is surrendering 3.20 goals per game, 45th in the NCAA. NU has mustered nine goals on 69 power play chances (13 percent – 49th in NCAA) and has killed 75 percent of its penalties (42-of-56 – tied for 53rd).

OFFENSIVE NUGGETS
• The Eagle offense has scored five or more goals in seven of their first 13 games, including their last four outings. The BC offense is second nationally, 0.04 gpg behind Robert Morris

• The Eagles possess the nation's top scoring margin ( + 3.31 ) -- BC is the only team to own a positive scoring margin over three goals per game through 13 games this season

• Colin White and Miles Wood are ranked first and third, respectively, in the nation amongst rookie scores. White is averaging 1.62 ppg (7-14-21 while Wood's at 1.31 ppg (6-11-17)

• Ryan Fitzgerald posted his third two-goal game of the season against RIT, including his team-best third game-winning goal -- Fitzgerald is the first Eagle to 10 goals this season

• Since joining forces with Colin White (C) and Ryan Fitzgerald (RW) against Denver on Oct. 30, Matthew Gaudreau has scored a point in all eight games and is tied for fourth on the team in scoring (3-9-12) -- against RIT, he recorded his first-career three-point performance with three assists

DEFENSIVE NUGGETS
• The Boston College defense has recorded 27 scoreless periods out of 39 possible frames. The Eagles defense is best in the country, surrendering a scant 1.23 goals per game

• Despite being the most penalized team in the country (20.2 PIMs/game), BC's penalty kill is best in Hockey East and ranked fourth nationally (54-of-59 - 91.5 percent)

• Ian McCoshen smashed a one-timer in against RIT for his first power play tally of the season and fourth of his career - his last PPG came against UMass Lowell on Feb. 20

• The Eagle defense thrives off its counterpart -- when Boston College scores first, BC is 10-0-0. The defense has also anchored that same record when holding a lead into the third frame

YORK SAYS YES!
Boston College has won 11 of its first 12 games of the season, including winners of its last 10. The Eagles' 11-1 start to the 2015-16 ledger marks the best start under a Jerry York club on The Heights. The 11-straight wins are the most in college hockey currently. The 2012-13 club strung together 19-straight wins from Jan. 27 to April 7, 2012.

CHASING '49...
With the win at UConn on Nov. 24, Boston College is off to its best start in program history since the Eagles' first national title team in 1949. The 1948-49 national championship squad started the season 10-0 before a loss at Dartmouth on Jan. 27, 1949. BC did not lose again that year, posting a 21-1 mark, culminating in the first national trophy on The Heights under Snooks Kelley. Kelley's 1940-41 team lost its first game at Yale on Dec, 14, 1940 before the Eagles rattled off the next 13 victories to cap a 13-1 season.

TOPPIN' OUT
Following the RIT victory, Boston College has the nation's stingiest defensive corps (1.23 gpg) along with the second-ranked offensive production in college hockey (4.54 goals per game.) BC's scoring margin of +3.31 is more than three-quarters of a goal better than the next-closest team, Harvard (+2.50).

WHITE HOT
First-year forward Colin White is on a tear through his first 13 games. The Hanover, Mass., native earned his second Hockey East Rookie of the Week award on Nov. 30 and is currently sixth in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 1.62 points per game. White has accounted for 18 points (5-13-18) over the course of his current eight-game point streak and leads all rookies, nationally, in scoring.

HALF DOZEN BAGELS
For the first time in Boston College hockey history and second time in college hockey history, the Eagles shutout six opponents in seven games spanning from Oct. 16 to Nov. 8, 2015. Thatcher Demko backstopped all six of those blankings. The closest BC has ever come to this current record is when the Eagles shutout four teams in six games from Jan. 23 to Feb. 11, 2000.

BEACON STREET BULLIES
Boston College is currently leading the nation in penalty, averaging 20.2 penalty minutes per game.

FITZ IN A FLASH
Ryan Fitzgerald recorded his third two-goal performance of the season against RIT on Nov. 28 and accounted for his third game-winning goal of the season and ninth of his career. Fitzgerald is one of 15 skaters in all of college hockey with three game winners this season. He is the first Eagle to 10 goals this season and leads the team with a +19 plus/minus rating. He also leads the club in shots on goal with 54.

GAU-GAU GAUDREAU
Matthew Gaudreau is also in the midst of a career-best eight-game point streak after recording his first-career three-point performance with a trio of assists in the RIT win on Nov. 28. Over the course of his stretch, he has tallied three goals and nine assists is tied for fourth on the team in scoring (3-9-12).

LUMBER YARD
Freshman forward Miles Wood set the tone early in his Eagle career, posting three points in his BC debut, including a goal and two assists. It has been 15 years since a rookie notched three points in his first-career game. The last time that occurred was when Ben Eaves doled out three assists in a 4-1 win over Notre Dame on Oct. 13, 2000 at Omaha Civic Auditorium. The last time any Eagle started the year with a three-point performance was when Brian Gibbons (2-1-3) and Brock Bradford (1-2-3) both turned the trick against Wisconsin on Oct. 10, 2008. Wood scored power play goals in back-to-back games on Nov. 8 and Nov. 13, with the strike on the 13th counting as his first-career game winner. Wood is in the midst of a five-game point streak and is currently the third leading rookie scorer in all of college hockey (1.31 ppg).

CAPTAIN CLUTCH
Teddy Doherty registered a pair of goals at UNH on Nov. 21, including his fourth power play goal of the season. Four of Doherty's six goals this season have come via the extra man. BC's captain now has a pair of two-goal performances this season, with his first occurring against Massachusetts on Nov. 3. Doherty's second strike also counted as the Eagles' game-winning goal, marking the third of his career and first of the season. Doherty is currently tied for s10th in the nation in power play goals per game (0.33).

GET DOWN BROWN
Freshman Christopher Brown recorded his second multi-point performance of the season with a goal and an assist against RIT on Nov. 28. The freshman has tallied two goals and five assists this season.

PAIR OF PPs
Boston College has scored a pair of power play goals on three occassions this year, with the last occurring on Nov. 28 against RIT when defensemen Ian McCoshen and Casey Fitzgerald found the back of the net.

STANDING TALL AMONGST THE BEST
Demko is currently second in the nation in goals against average (1.23) and save percentage (.953) on the year and is two shutouts clear (6) of the next closest netminder, Charlie Lindgren of St. Cloud State. For a career, the 6-foot-4 backstopper is 46-19-6 (.690) with a 2.04 goals against average and a .928 save percentage (1,883 saves on 2,030 shots). If Demko's 2.04 GAA held, it would tie Matti Kaltiainen's (2001-05) career mark for best all time. His six shutouts this season is two shy of matching the single-season mark set by Cory Schneider during the 2005-06 season. Demko possesses nine career shutouts, good for fourth-best all-time. He is three blankings shy of matching John Muse's third-place mark of 12 career shutouts (2007-11). Schneider holds the record with 15 (2004-07) while Scott Clemmensen is second with 13 (1997-2001).

LIVING HISTORY
The Schiller Family Head Hockey Coach of Boston College, Jerry York, enters his 44th season of coaching college hockey. Not only is York the winningest coach in the game's history, having amassed 996 victories and a win-loss total of 996-592-105 (.619), York is approaching another historic benchmark. After locking up the most wins all-time at his alma mater (502) and heads into his 22nd season behind the Eagles' bench, he now has the 1,000-win plateau in his sites. York is just FOUR wins away from hitting that number as he is already the winningest coach in the game's history.

Cross-Town Series with Northeastern Set for Saturday-Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Christopher Brown

Thatcher Demko

Teddy Doherty

Casey Fitzgerald

Ryan Fitzgerald

Matthew Gaudreau

Ian McCoshen

Colin White

Miles Wood