Battle of Comm Ave. Returns to The Heights

WHEN: Monday, Jan. 16, 2017 (7 p.m.)

WHERE: Kelley Rink - Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Friday)

GAME NOTES: PDF / WEB

HOW TO FOLLOW (Friday):
- Television: New England Sports Network / Tom Caron (Play-by-Play) / Billy Jaffe (Color Commentary)
- Radio: WEEI 850 AM -- Jon Rish (Play-by-Play) // Andy Powers (Color Commentary)
- Live Stats
- BUY TICKETS

THE BATTLE OF COMM AVE.
Boston College will host its first home game at Kelley Rink since December 6. Over that five-week stretch of road or neutral contests, the Eagles have gone 1-3-1. A regular-season split with the Terriers is what BC is looking towards Monday night when Boston University makes its way to The Heights for the first time since Jan. 15, 2016, when BC won, 5-3. In the first meeting of the season, BU skated away with a 2-1 win at Agganis Arena after Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and Clayton Keller scored. Colin White netted his sixth power play goal of the season in that contest. Prior to that game, Jerry York was 11-3-2 Agganis Arena. Against BU at Kelley Rink, York is 17-12-4 heading into Monday's rivalry game on The Heights. Monday marks the 272nd chapter of The Battle of Comm Ave. as BC is 15-6-1 over the Terriers dating back to the 2010 Beanpot. As a whole, York is 6-2-1 against his BU counterpart, David Quinn. Prior to Quinn's arrival, the Eagles faced off against legendary coach Jack Parker 155 times dating back to 1973, including 82 meetings against York. In all, York is 43-40-8 against Boston University as head coach of the Eagles. Monday also marks the 127th encounter in Hockey East play. Following Frday's result, BC holds the slightest advantage, 57-56-12, against Boston University in league play. In all, the Terriers hold an nine-game advantage over Boston College in the overall series, with a 131-122-18 mark.

POINTING THINGS OUT
Only four other teams in college hockey have scored as many points as BC has this season. The Eagles are fifth in the NCAA in total points (222), tied for fourth in assists (143) and tied for first with three (3) hat tricks. Boston College is also second in the nation in most road points scored with 136. Boston College is tied for ninth in goals scored with 79 and back up to third place in plus/minus differential (+27).

ACROSS THE BOARD
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. BC is now averaging just under three and a half goals per game (3.29 gpg) on the season which is 13th best in all of college hockey. For almost the entire first half of the season, that figure led Hockey East but has since slid to fifth after scoring only four goals in three games from Dec. 10-30.

GOOD-REAU
BC's points leader heading into the second half had an eight-game point streak snapped at Notre Dame on Dec. 10, accruing three goals and nine assists over that time span. It marks Gaudreau's second-career eight-game point streak. In the final game of his point streak on Dec. 6 against NU, the Carneys Point, N.J. native accounted for his second-career playmaker (three assists). As the second half gets under, Gaudreau ranks 74th in the country in scoring, averaging 0.96 points per game and is tied for ninth in Hockey East.

HERE'S MY PLUS-ONE
The Eagles are outscoring their opponent at a significant margin and possess the 11th-highest mark in the NCAA. BC's + 0.96 goal differential is fourth in the league as the Eagles have netted 79 goals and given up only 55. The +27 plus / minus mark, as a club, is third best in the NCAA.

AGAINST THE ODDS
Boston College is tied for 15th for the 15th-best winning percentage in college hockey (.625). The Eagles have amassed such a strong mark, though, by having to trot out the penalty-killing unit 140 times, third most so far this season. At such a high frequency, BC is killing off opponents' power play opportunities at a rate of 82.1 percent (115 - of - 140).

DEFENDING THE HEIGHTS
The combination of first-year goaltenders Joseph Woll and Ryan Edquist have filled in nicely for the departed Thatcher Demko. Woll has earned the brunt of the work, amassing an 11-7-1 (.605 - 26th in the NCAA) record, with a 2.41 goals against average (22nd in the NCAA) and a .921 save percentage (17th overall). Edquist has been the primary back up with nice numbers, including a 3-1-1 record with a 1.89 goals against and a .930 save percentage. Edquist recently turned in a career-best 36 save effort against Ferris State in a 1-1 tie on Dec. 30.

DEFENSIVE DEEDS
Following the BU game at Agganis Arena on Jan. 13, BC is surrendering 2.33 goals per game which is 14th best in college hockey. Boston College is only one of two teams in Hockey East that has given up 10 goals or less, combined, in the first period, starting off strong defensively. BC has given up only 10 first-period goals thus far (PC leads w/ eight.)

PLUSSES N MINUSES
Senior Austin Cangelosi is currently tied for 11th in all of college hockey with his individual plus/minus rating of a +15. Those figures are tied for second best in Hockey East. Teammates Scott Savage is tied for 16th, nationally, with a +14 rating.

WHITE WASH
Colin White scored his team-leading 11th goal, including his sixth power play goal of the season. White is one of 21 players in college hockey to have scored six or more power play goals.

100 FOR CANGE
Senior centerman Austin Cangelosi snapped an 11-game goal-scoring drought an empty-netter on Sunday night at Fenway Park. The goal stood as the Estero, Fla. native's 100th-career point as Cangelosi added an assist on Michael Kim's equalizer midway through the second period. Cangelosi also remains college hockey's most lethal faceoff man, winning 65 percent of his draws (341-of-525). His 341 faceoff wins are the fourth most in college hockey but the most out of any centerman with that high of a volume.

Battle of Comm Ave. Returns to The Heights

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Players Mentioned

Austin Cangelosi

Thatcher Demko

Ryan Edquist

Michael Kim

Scott Savage

Colin White

Joseph Woll