First Half Comes to Close at Home against No. 10 Northeastern

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. NORTHEASTERN
Boston College and Northeastern close out the regular-season series on Saturday night at Kelley Rink, a place where the Eagles have asserted their dominance over the Huskies in recent memory. Boston College is unbeaten in its last 11 outings against Northeastern on home ice, mounting a 9-0-2 record, not having lost to NU on The Heights since back-to-back overtime losses on Nov. 23, 2007 and March 7, 2008. In the initial meeting between the two Beanpot participants, Boston College skated to a 4-1 tirumph at Matthews Arena on Nov. 18 where four different goal scorers (Jesper Mattila, Graham McPhee, Rob Greco and Julius Mattila) helped aid in the victory. In all, the Eagles lead the Huskies 166-50-16 with a 79-30-11 advantage in Hockey East tilts. The last time Boston College lost to Northeastern, it arguably kept BC out of the NCAA Tournament last season, beating the Eagles in the consolation round of the Beanpot, 4-2, on Feb. 13, 2017.. BC has dominated the series from the onset, winning 57 of the first 65 installments. Over the course of the last four seasons, Jerry York is 17-3-1 against Northeastern's Jim Madigan.

HOUNDING THE HUSKIES
Since Boston College and Northeastern met at Matthews Arena on Nov. 18, the Huskies have gone 2 - 1, losing at UConn on a Tuesday night, 4-1, but responding with a home-and-home sweep of Merrimack on Dec. 1-2, winning both contests, 3-1. When BC and NU met two weeks ago, it was the No. 1 (BC) vs No. 2 (NU) matchup in the Hockey East standings and Saturday's bout will be no different. The Eagles are four points (18) clear of Northeastern and NU is one point up (14) on Providence (13). THe Huskies still possess one of college hockey's most lethal offenses with two of the NCAA's top 10 scorers in Dylan Sikura (1.38 ppg - 7-11-18 - 8th) and Adam Gaudette (1.33 ppg - 10-10-20 - 10th). Gaudette is one of 15 skaters in the NCAA with double digit goal totals, as half of those have come via the power play. Sikura has also lit the lamp five times on the power play this season. Northeastern's offense is clicking to the tune of 3.53 goals per game which is the standard in Hockey East and fourth best in all of college hockey. The defense is sturdy as well, balancing out as the 10th-ranked unit in the NCAA and second best behind New Hampshire in the conference. The Huskies' power play has connected on 18-of-69 chances (26.1 percent) this season, which is fifth best in the nation. NU is one of six teams in college hockey outscoring its opponent by over a goal per game (1.06), sixth best in college hockey.

GRANDO THE GREAT
First-year forward Christopher Grando was deemed the Hockey East Rookie of the Month (November) after accounting for three goals and five assists, including a two-goal showing at Vermont on Nov. 11. It marks his second award of the season as the Long Islander was named Rookie of the Week following the UVM series. Grando is tied for 36th nationally amongst all rookies, averaging 0.65 points per game.

SWEET AS AN ORANGE JULIUS
Sophomore forward Julius Mattila has been a force to be reckoned with as of late, having accounted for at least one point in seven of his last eight outings, incluing a four-point performance (2-2-4) against Harvard on Nov. 24. The Tampere, Finland product currently leads Boston College in scoring (5-8-13) after having accrued five goals and six assists over the course of his last eight games.

YO ADRIAAAAAAN
Philadelphia native Ron Greco turned in his first-career multi-point performance in the form of two goals against Boston University on Dec. 1 and followed that effort up with another tally at BU on Dec. 2. Prior to the BU series, Greco had never registered points in back-to-back games as the sophomore now has four goals on the season.

OFFENSIVE AWAKENING
It's no secret the Eagles' offense early on, but over the course of their last seven outings, BC has accounted for five goals once, four goals on five occasions and a three-goal showing to boost the offense up to 2.67 goals per game. In four of those seven outings, Boston College's power play found the back of the net. BC's power play is operating at a rate of 13.8 percent (9-of-65).

DEFENDING THE NEST
Boston College's defense continues to limit the opposing lamp being lit as BC is now limiting its opponents to 2.76 goals per game. That number is 25th, nationally, and fifth overall in the conference. Over the course of the last 10 games, Boston College has only given up three or more goals on three occasions.

KILLIN' IT
Boston College's penalty kill is staving off opponents' power plays at a rate of 83.5 percent (66-of-79) and is currently 20th in the nation and fourth in Hockey East. BC has kept its opponents off the board on the power play nine of 17 times this season.

THE BRICK WOLL
Sophomore backstopper Joseph Woll has stopped 361-of-399 shots faced in his first 14 outings for a .905 save percentage which is currently 51st in all of college hockey while his 2.70 goals against average ranks 39th in the game. Woll has stopped 1,273- of - 1,398 shots faced (.911 save percentage) with a career mark of 2.66 goals against average. The St. Louis native is fresh off a season-best 36 saves at Boston University to anchor the Eagles' 4-1 win on December 2. Woll was also one of 20 goalies named to the watch list for the 2018 Mike Richter Award, which annually honors the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA Division I men's hockey.

COTTON'S COMIN' ON
David Cotton scored his third goal of the season, second in three games, in unassisted fashion on Dec. 2 at BU. The Parker, Texas native scored Boston College's first unassisted goal of the season. Cotton's tally stood as his first game-winning goal of the season and fifth of his career as the sophomore racked up four game winners as a rookie. Cotton also added an assist on Graham McPhee's empty-net goal for his third multi-point performance in his last four outings. Cotton has 11 points (3-8-11) on the season.

LOOSE CHANGE
Graham McPhee added an empty netter to preserve victory at Agganis Arena on Dec. 2 to account for his fifth goal of the year, tying him for best on the squad. Graduated student Kevin Lohan assisted in both BU games on Dec. 1-2, marking the first point streak for the University of Michigan transfer since donning the maroon and gold. The 6-foot-5 rearguard now has 12 career assists in 72 college hockey games. Freshman forward Casey Carreau attained his second assist of the season, helping out on Greco's tally while Connor Moore scored his second goal of the season at BU on Dec. 2.

ALL WE DO IS WIN WIN WIN (...WIN WIN WIN WIN AND TIE...)
Boston College had its eight-game unbeaten streak disrupted at the hands of Boston University on Friday, Dec. 1 at Kelley Rink. Heading into the Battle of Comm Ave. on Dec. 1, it was tied for the second-longest unbeaten streak in the nation. The Eagles went 7-0-1, winning their first seven games in the stretch, marking BC's first seven-game winning streak since rattling off 11 in a row from October 16 to November 28, 2015. It marks the longest unbeaten spell since BC went 9-0-1 from October 16 to November 13, 2016.

ATOP THE LEADERBOARD
Boston College might have had a slow start in the non-conference slate, but the Eagles have responded rather thunderously in conference play. Winning their last seven league games (Merrimack (2) , UConn, Vermont (2), New Hampshire and Northeastern) and an OT win over Providence, the Eagles are all alone in first place in the Hockey East standings by five points over Providence, having accrued 16 points with a 8-1 record to the early goings of the conference slate.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT GUY...
Boston College's head coach Jerry York needs no introduction as the Eagle skipper skates into his 24th season at the helm on The Heights and 46th season in all. York's 1,042 victories are the most of any Division I coach in the history of college hockey, more than 100 wins clear of the former leader, Ron Mason (Michigan State - 924). York is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to lead two different schools to national titles; led Bowling Green to the 1984 NCAA title, and Boston College to the 2001, 2008, 2010 and 2012 NCAA titles. He is the all-time leader in NCAA Tournament wins with 41 victories, as well, and has led 22 teams to 25 or more wins.

First Half Comes to Close at Home against No. 10 Northeastern

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Players Mentioned

Casey Carreau

David Cotton

Chris Grando

Ron Greco

Kevin Lohan

Jesper Mattila

Julius Mattila

Graham McPhee

Connor Moore

Joseph Woll