First-Time Matchup with Arizona State on Deck for Sunday Matinee

First-Time Matchup with Arizona State on Deck for Sunday Matinee

November 12, 2016 | Men's Hockey

No. 3 Boston College has risen up the ranks thanks to the nation's longest unbeaten streak of nine games (8-0-1); the Eagles offense has skyrocketed up to the eighth-most prolific unit in the game and it looks to increase on Sunday afternoon against the Sun Devils

WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016 (3 p.m.)

WHERE: Conte Forum at Kelley Rink - Chestnut Hill, Mass.

GAME NOTES: PDF / WEB

HOW TO FOLLOW:
- WATCH LIVE (BCEagles.tv)
- RADIO: WEEI 850 AM -- Jon Rish (Play-by-Play) // Andy Powers (Color Commentary)
- LIVE STATS
- BUY TICKETS

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. ARIZONA STATE
Boston College welcomes the new kid on the block, Arizona State, to Kelley Rink for a Sunday matinee. Arizona State is in its first year at the Division I level. The last time the Eagles took on a program for the first time was during the 2012-13 season when Boston College played Alabama-Huntsville on Dec. 29, 2012, at the Mariucci Classic. The Eagles skated away from that one victoriously, 5-2.

DIALING IN ON THE SUN DEVILS
Hockey began as a sport at Arizona State in the fall of 1973 with ASU students gathering at Tower Ice Plaza in Central Phoenix to play pick up hockey amongst each other. From there, a prominent club program was born. At the AHCA level, the Sun Devils qualified for 10 ACHA Division I National Tournaments and developed 12 ACHA Division I All-Americans. In the 2013–2014 season, ASU won its first National Championship. This season marks the program's first full season in Division I. Heading into Sunday's matinee, the Sun Devils are 1-8, having picked up their lone victory against Air Force on Oct. 16, 5-2 (a team that defeated Boston College the first game of the season). This marks Arizona State's second trip to Beantown as the Sun Devis were swept at Northeastern on Oct. 21-22 (2-5 & 1-6). Boston University transfer Robbie Baillargeon leads ASU in scoring (6-1-7) and is actually 11th in the country in scoring, averaging 0.86 goals per game. Three of those goals have come via the power play, which is tied for eighth in the NCAA. Arizona State is looking to gain its footing on both sides of the ice as the Sun Devils are tied for 53rd, nationally, averaging only 2.00 goals per game. Defensively, ASU is surrendering 5.22 goals per game which is the second-highest rate in college hockey. Arizona State also leads the country in penalty minutes with 27. 4 per game. The power play ranks 53rd (8.8 percent) while the penalty kill is 57th (74.2 percent).

TRENDING UP
Boston College has been lighting the lamp often lately, having scored at least five goals or more in five of its last nine outings. The Eagles are now averaging over four goals per game (4.08 gpg) which seventh best in all of college hockey and the most productive offensive output in all of Hockey East.

A TRICK FOR THE AGES
Austin Cangelosi not only scored Boston College's second hat trick of the season and the first of his career, he did so in unprecdented fashion by netting a natural hat trick (three uninterrupted goals) with three different tipes of goals. Cangelosi scored a power play goal, short-handed goal and even-strength goal in succession on Nov. 4 at Cross Insurance Arena in 34:19. The senior's accomplishment marked BC's first "natural hat trick" since Brian Gionta scored five goals on his first five shots on Jan. 27, 2001, also against Maine, at Kelley Rink. Thirty-five other Eagle hat tricks have occurred between Gionta's modern-day record and Cangelosi's natural hat trick.

CAN'T CAN CANGELOSI
After scoring his natural hat trick and following it up with an assist the next night on Nov. 5, Cangelosi claimed the team's point lead (8-5-13) by securing his second-career three-assist performance against UNH on Nov. 8. The last time Cangelosi had three assists in a game was against Penn State on Dec. 28, 2013. Cangelosi has accounted for nine points in his last four outings. He currently ranks 75th, nationally, with 1.08 points per game.

IN THE RED
The Eagles are outscoring their opponent at a significant margin and own the third-best mark in the NCAA. Boston College's +1.92 goal differential is the best in Hockey East as the Eagles have netted 49 goals and given up only 26. The +23 mark is best in the NCAA.

THE GREAT WOLL OF CHESTNUT HILL
First-year goaltender Joe Woll has been steady in net for the Eagles all season and is currently in the top 13, nationally, in all goaltending categories. Woll is currently 12th in save percentage (.930), 13th in goals against average (2.09) and tied for eighth in winning percentage (.750). The Dardenne Prairie, Mo. native has not given up more than three goals in his last six starts.

CASE IN POINT
Sophomore defenseman Casey Fitzgerald leads all BC blue liners in points scored with 11 (4-7-11). The North Reading, Mass. native is tied for eighth, nationally, amongst all defensemen with 1.00 points per game and is one of 34 skaters in all of college hockey with two game-winning goals.

BLUE LINE BANDITS
In 12 games, Boston College's defense is surrending only 2.17 goals per game, standing as the eighth best in the country and second best on the conference level. Despite being the seventh most penalized team in college hockey thus far (19.8 PIMs / game), the Eagles' penalty-killing unit has done a good job, snuffing out 65-of-80 opportunities at a rate of 81.2 percent.

TEAM TO BEAT
After sweeping Maine on Nov. 4-5 and kept things rolling in a 5-3 win over New Hampshire, Boston College extended its unbeaten streak to nine games, winning eight and tying one. That mark means the Eagles are currently the hottest team in college hockey as no one has a streak that long.

BACK BEHIND THE BENCH
Boston College men's head hockey coach Jerry York will return to the bench on Sunday against Arizona State. York missed the last six games following outpatient eye on Oct. 25. The Eagles held true in his absence, going 5-0-1 in the stretch.

SWIFT STARTS
Boston College's record is 9-2-1 following the Maine sweep. The Eagles have started out with an 9-2-1 mark in three of their last four seasons.

DUDE, DID YOU SEE THAT?
Sophomore forward JD Dudek scored his first-career game-winning goal in thrilling fashion, putting the dagger in New Hampshire with 2:27 left in regulation. The Auburn, N.H. native now has three goals to his name this season.

POWER PLAY PRODUCTION
Christopher Brown netted his first-career power play goal in his 53rd game as an Eagle against UNH on Nov. 8. The Bloomfield Hills, Mich. product has been on a tear and came into Tuesday night's game as Boston College's leading scorer (3-8-11) and is now tied with Gaudreau for second (4-8-12). Colin White netted his sixth goal of the season with 1.3 seconds left to ice the contest with the empty netter, but it was on the power play. White has three PPGs already this season and is tied for 11th, nationally, in that category.

CANGE CROWNED
After scoring his first-career hat trick and also netted a short-handed goal and a power play goal in back-to-back games, netting fives goals in all over the course of two games, Austin Cangelosi earned BC's first league honor, hauling in Hockey East Player of the Week laurels.

CHART TOPPER
On Friday in Portland, Ryan Fitzgerald notched another multi-point performance, including his fourth goal of the season and 61st goal, all-time, in the maroon and gold. The North Reading, Mass. native surpassed Ken Hodge (1984-87) and Jim Mullen (1963-66) on the career goals list and is now 36th, all-time, on The Heights goal scoring chart.