Stage is Set in the Big Apple: BC and UND Collide at MSG

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 (7:30 p.m.)

WHERE: Madison Square Garden / New York City

TV BROADCAST: CBS Sports Network (click here for channel finder)

CBS BROADCAST TEAM:
- Dave Starman (Play-by-Play)
- Ben Holden (Color Commentary)
- Shireen Staski (Sidelines)
- Scott Gomez (Between the Boards)

GAME NOTES: PDF / WEB

HOW TO FOLLOW
- College Hockey Showdown Homepage
- Television: Watch Live on CBS Sports Network
- Radio: WEEI 850 AM -- Jon Rish (Play-by-Play) // Andy Powers (Color Commentary)
- Buy Tickets

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. NORTH DAKOTA
Two of college hockey's premiere program faceoff in the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, on Saturday night in Midtown. North Dakota, fresh off its eight NCAA national championship in 2016, has had some struggles as of late, only winning two of its last 10 outings (a sweep at St. Cloud State on Nov. 18-19). Most recently, the Fighting Hawks welcomes in Michigan State and lost (4-3) and tied (2-2) on Nov. 25-26, respectively, before heading into Saturday's College Hockey Showdown. All eyes will be on this bout as Saturday marks the 24th battle between the Eagles and Fighting Haws. The series is dead even at 11-11-1 and since Jerry York lead his first BC team to the Frozen Four in 1998, BC and UND have been at the top of the mountain in terms of wins. Boston College's 515 wins is the benchmark of any other program in the game while North Dakota is literally just onw victory behind at 514. Not only have the Eagles and Fighting Hawks played against each other nine times in the NCAA Tournament (BC holds a 6-3 advantage in those meetings), Boston College and North Dakota have faced each other in back-to-back national championships in 2000 and 2001. UND won the first national title, 4-2, on April 8, 2000 in Providence before Krys Kolanos scored the national-championship winning overtime goal (4:43) against North Dakota at the Pepsi Center in Albany, N.Y. to claim BC's second NCAA championship on April 7, 2001. The two programs first met in the NCAA Tournament on March 14, 1963, in the national semifinals. UND won, 8-2. They met in the semis again on March 18, 1965 as BC went on to victory, 4-3. The two teams have split their quarterfinal showdowns. BC won, 3-1, on March 28, 1999 before the Fighting Hawks claimed the only victory over BC in Worcester on March 26, 2005 (3-6). For three-consecutive seasons from 2006 to 2008, BC and North Dakota faced off in the national semifinals. The Eagles won all three of those meetings, tallying six goals on each occasion. BC won, 6-5, on April 6, 2006 in Milwaukee followed by a 6-4 triumph on April 5, 2007 in St. Louis. BC went on to win the national title in 2008 over Notre Dame after beating North Dakota, 6-1, on April 10, 2008 in Denver. In the 23-game series, the Fighting Hawks have narrowly outscored BC, 83-80. The two programs have combined for 13 NCAA national championships and 45 NCAA Frozen Fours.

CONFERENCE CONFIDENCE
Boston College remains unbeaten in league play having assembled a 7-0-1 mark in conference play. The Eagles are six points clear of second-place Vermont with 15 points. This stretch of noteworthy league play marks the longest BC has started off unbeaten in Hockey East since the 2003-04 season when Boston College wen 6-0-2 to open up the conference slate before Northeastern ended it on Jan. 3, 2004.

KOUNTIN ON KIMMER
Second-year defenseman Michael Kim scored his second-career goal, first of the season in dramatic fashion, at Northeastern on Nov. 29. The Toronto, Ontario native stole the puck on the penalty kill and rifled it past Northeastern's Ryan Ruck to win it for the Eagles with 22.9 seconds left. Kim's goal was not only his first-career short-handed goal, it also counted as his first-career game-winning goal.

GARDEN PARTY
Boston College returns to Madison Square Garden for the first time in over 40 years. The last time the Eagles graced the World's Greatest Arena was on Jan. 5, 1975 in a 6-4 loss to Brown. Overall, BC possesses an even 7-7-1 mark. The first time BC ever played at MSG (the old MSG) was on Dec. 28, 1925 against the Royal Military Academy (7-6 win).

SHORTY WHAT YOU WANT SHORTY WHAT YOU NEED
Kim's goal counts as Boston College's fifth short-handed tally of the season. BC is one of five teams in college hockey (Bentley, BU, Lake Superior State and St. Lawrence) to have accounted for that many goals on the penalty kill this season.

EEKIN' IT OUT
Boston College won its first game of the season scoring two goals or less on Nov. 29 at Northeastern. Prior to that outcome, the Eagles had not won a low-scoring battle like that all year as BC lost all four of its games, along with the one tie, in decisions of that nature.

EVEN STEVENS
Boston College has produced some even scoring as nine Eagles are in double figures in points while seven skaters have at least five goals through this point. The Eagles are now averaging just under four goals per game (3.71 gpg) on the season which is sixth best in all of college hockey and the most productive offensive unit in all of Hockey East.

GAUDRWHOA.
In BC's thrilling win at Northeastern on Nov. 29, Matthew Gaudreau notched an assist in his sixth-straight outing which is a career long for the veteran winger. Prior to Tuesday, Gaudreau accounted for his fifth multi-point performance of the season against Minnesota on Nov. 27 with a goal and an assist. Gaudreau's goal was of the short-handed variety, marking the first of his career. The Carneys Point, N.J. native also tallied a career-best seven shots on net. Through 17 games played, Gaudreau ranks 61st in the country in scoring, averaging 1.06 points per game and is tied for eighth in Hockey East. Gaudreau leads the Eagles in scoring (5-13-18) heading into tonight's game.

BENCHMARK SCORING
No other team in college hockey has scored as many points as Boston College has this season. The Eagles are leading the NCAA in total points (179), total goals (68), total assists (116), game-winning goals (12) and overall plus/minus (+28). BC has also tallied the 13th-highest average of shots on net to this point, triggering 32.53 shot attempts per outing.

IN THE RED
The Eagles are outscoring their opponent at a significant margin and possess the fifth-highest mark in the NCAA. Boston College's + 1.41 goal differential is the best in Hockey East as the Eagles have netted 63 goals and given up only 39. The +28 mark is also the 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 25, nationally, in all goaltending categories. Woll is currently 15th in save percentage (.922), 23rd in goals against average (2.33) and 18th in winning percentage (.679). The St. Louis native has only given up more than three goals once in his last eight starts.

CASE IN POINT
Sophomore defenseman Casey Fitzgerald has been on fire as of late and is currently tied for 21st amongst ALL college skaters in Hockey East and not just blue liners. The North Reading, Mass. native is 26th amongst all defensemen with 0.81 points per game and tied for second within his position for goals scored with five ( 5 ). Within conference play, Fitzgerald's point total is tied for second best amongst all defensemen.

DEFENSIVE DEEDS
Following the 2-1 triumph at Northeastern on Nov. 29, BC is only surrendering 2.29 goals per game which is 12th best in college hockey. Despite being the fifth-most penalized team in college hockey thus far (18.1 PIMs / game), the Eagles' penalty-killing unit has staved off 88-of-107 opportunities at a rate of 82.2 percent.

NONPLUSSED
Freshman defenseman Connor Moore has been steady on this ice all season and currently one of five skaters in all of college hockey with the highest plus/minus rating in the land. The Cumming, Ga. native is +15 with four others (Mike Vecchione - Union • Spencer Foo - Union • Nick Schilkey - Ohio State • Rob Hamilton - Vermont) Senior blue liner Scott Savage is closely behind, tied for ninth overall with a +13 rating. Austin Cangelosi and Michael Kim tied for 12th amongst all skaters in the game with a +12 rating.

Stage is Set in the Big Apple: BC and UND Collide at MSG

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Players Mentioned

Austin Cangelosi

Casey Fitzgerald

Matthew Gaudreau

Michael Kim

Connor Moore

Scott Savage