Rivalry Game at Notre Dame Concludes First Half

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 (7:30 p.m.)

WHERE: Compton Family Ice Arena / South Bend, Ind.

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

NBC BROADCAST TEAM:
- Steve Schlanger (Play-by-Play)
- Anson Carter (Analyst)

GAME NOTES: PDF / WEB

HOW TO FOLLOW
- Television: Watch Live on NBC Sports Network or NBC Sports Live Extra
- Radio: WEEI 850 AM -- Jon Rish (Play-by-Play) // Andy Powers (Color Commentary)
- Live Stats

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. NOTRE DAME
Boston College will close out the first half of play at Notre Dame on Saturday night on NBC Sports Network. In the last meeting with the Irish at Compton Family Ice Arena, the Eagles avenged a tough 4-3 loss on Dec. 10, 2015 by shutting out Notre Dame, 4-0, on Jan. 29, 2016. In fact, the last two victories over ND have occurred in shutout fashion. As rivalries go, Notre Dame has always been a tough out for Boston College. Over the course of the last 10 games, Boston College and Notre Dame are an even 5-5 against one another. All-time, the Eagles hold a slight 21-18-2 advantage as Saturday marks the 42nd meeting between these two storied programs. Saturday marks Boston College's fifth game in the Irish's new digs as both BC wins at Compton Family Ice Arena have come via shutout. At Conte Forum, BC and Notre Dame have played to an even 7-7-1 split. With the 2-2 split at Compton Family Ice Arena, the Eagles were 6-3-1 at the Joyce Center, the Irish's former home. In Hockey East regular season play, since joining the league, Notre Dame and BC are tied, 3-3. Boston College and Notre Dame kicked off the Hockey East rivalry on Jan. 4, 2014, at Fenway Park where the Eagles came away with a 4-3 triumph. Despite Notre Dame's recent success against Boston College, the Eagles defeated Notre Dame for the 2008 National Championship on April 12, 2008, at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

EYES ON THE IRISH
Notre Dame enters Saturday's contest with an 8-6-2 mark and a 4-3-1 record in Hockey East play. The Fighting Irish recently split against UMass in Amherst last weekend, most recently shutting out the Minutemen, 3-0, on Dec. 3. The Irish tout the seventh-most prolific scorer in the game right now in junior Anders Bjork. The Wisconsin native is averaging 1.62 points per game (11-15-26) and is tied for 15th with 0.69 goals per game. Both ND's offense and defense weigh in as the 14th-ranked units. The offense is scoring at a rate of 3.38 while the defense, backstopped by Cal Petersen (2.28 | .914 | 8-6-2) is giving up 2.38 goals per game.

POINT PLUNDER
No other team in college hockey has scored as many points as BC has this season. The Eagles are first in the NCAA in total points (200), assists (129), game-winning goals (13), hat tricks (3) and plus-minus differential (+30). Boston College is second in goals scored with 71. BC has also tallied the 13th-highest average of shots on net to this point, triggering 32.58 shot attempts per outing.

EVEN STEVENS
Boston College has produced some even scoring as 11 Eagles are in double figures in points while eight skaters have at least five goals through this point. The Eagles are now averaging just under four goals per game (3.74 gpg) on the season which is fifth best in all of college hockey and the most productive offensive unit in all of Hockey East.

GOOD-REAU
In BC's 5-3 victory over Northeastern on Dec. 6, Matthew Gaudreau extended his point streak to eight games after notching his second-career playmaker (three assists). The eight-game tear is Gaudreau's second in two seasons as he has pieced together 12 points (3-9-12) over this stretch. Against Minnesota on Nov. 27, he registered a goal and an assist. Gaudreau's goal was of the short-handed variety, marking the first of his career. Through 19 games played, Gaudreau ranks 48th in the country in scoring, averaging 1.16 points per game and is tied for fifth in Hockey East. Gaudreau leads the Eagles in scoring (6-16-22) heading into the first half conclusion at Notre Dame.

IN THE RED
The Eagles are outscoring their opponent at a significant margin and possess the sixth-highest mark in the NCAA. BC's + 1.32 goal differential is the best in Hockey East as the Eagles have netted 71 goals and given up only 46. The +55 mark is third best in the NCAA.

AGAINST THE ODDS
Boston College is currently tied with Penn State for the most victories ( 13 ) in college hockey despite having trotted out the penalty-killing unit more than anyone else. The Eagles penalty kill has had 119 attempts this season, one more than Clarkson ( 118 ). At such a high frequency, BC is killing off opponents' power play opportunities at a rate of 82.4 percent (98 - of - 119).

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 18th in save percentage (.918), 23rd in goals against average (2.48) and 18th in winning percentage (.656). The St. Louis native has only given up more than three goals three times in his last 10 starts.

DEFENSIVE DOINGS
Following the 5-3 victory against Northeastern on Dec. 6, BC is only surrendering 2.42 goals per game which is 15th best in college hockey. Boston College is only one of two teams in Hockey East that has given up less than two goals in the first period, starting off strong defensively. BC has given up only nine first-period goals thus far (PC leads w/ six.)

PLUSSES N MINUSES
Freshman defenseman Connor Moore and senior rearguard Scott Savage are both tied for seventh, nationally, in the plus/minus category through 19 games. Both defensemen have accrued a +15 plus/minus rating and only six other skaters in all of college hockey have a better number. When Savage or Moore finish with a positive rating on the evening, the Eagles are a combined 21 - 1. Austin Cangelosi is not far behind, tied for 12th with a +14 plus/minus rating.

HOCKEY EAST HISTORY
Boston College has remained unbeaten in Hockey East play in nine outings, accruing an 8-0-1 record. This officially marks the best start in Eagles' history in conference play since the dawn of Hockey East. The Eagles are six points clear of second-place New Hampshire (5-1-1). The next closes stretch is when BC started off unbeaten in Hockey East since the 2003-04. The Eagles went 6-0-2 to open up the conference slate before Northeastern ended it on Jan. 3, 2004.

GOOD LUCK STOPPIN' HIM, DUDE
JD Dudek scored two goals in Tuesday's victory over Northeastern on Dec. 6, marking his fifth goal in four outings. The Auburn, N.H. native has accounted for eight goals on the season and is tied for second on the team in goals scored with Austin Cangelosi.

COUNTIN' ON COTTON
Freshman David Cotton netted his fifth goal as an Eagle. Sixty percent of Cotton's goals have stood as game winners as the Parker, Texas native tallied his third game-winning goal of the season at 9:56 of the second period. Cotton is one of 23 skaters in all of college hockey with three of more game-winning goals.

FIRST-PERIOD FEELINGS
Boston College's results are heavily dictated by how the first period of play unfolds. The Eagles are 8-0-1 after leading their opponent when the score in their favor after 20 minutes. Boston College is also unbeaten with a 9-0-1 record as it scores the first goal of the first period.

SCOTTY DOESN'T KNOW
Scott Savage not only recorded his first-career three-point performance in his 133rd-career game with the playmaker (three assists) against North Dakota, the San Clemente, Calif. native was also the game's highest point scorer. Savage is tied for sixth on the team in scoring with 13 points (2-11-13). He is also tied for seventh, nationally, in the plus/minus categoy (+15).

Rivalry Game at Notre Dame Concludes First Half

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Players Mentioned

Austin Cangelosi

David Cotton

JD Dudek

Matthew Gaudreau

Connor Moore

Scott Savage