Conference Action Resumes at Home vs. Lowell

Friday, February 9

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

7:00 PM

Boston College

UMass Lowell

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Conference Action Resumes at Home vs. Lowell

February 07, 2018 | Men's Hockey

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No. 18 Boston College looks to maintain its first-place lead in Hockey East as the Eagles welcome UMass Lowell back to The Heights to close out the regular-season series on Friday night at 7 pm

By: Athletic Communications

BOSTON COLLEGE vs. UMASS LOWELL
Boston College and UMass Lowell finish off the regular-season series on Friday night at Kelley Rink after the Eagles and River Hawks split the weekend at their respective barns on Jan. 26-27. UMass Lowell defended Tsongas Center on Jan. 26 after the River Hawks went up 3-0. Graham McPhee did his darndest to try and erase that deficit himself with a pair of goals in the third period, but UML was able to withstands Boston College's late charge to hang on for the 3-2 victory. The Eagles' offense erupted the following night on The Heights as BC lit the lamp five times to split the weekend series. UMass Lowell looks tom make up a little ground in the Hockey East standings as the the River Hawks trail Boston College by six points in sixth place. The Eagles remain the Hockey East leader heading into the third to last weekend of the regular season. The Eagles are looking to exact revenge on UML as when these teams met last season, Lowell kept Boston College out of the NCAA Tournament by defeating the Eagles, 4-3, in the Hockey East Championship game at TD Garden on March 18, 2017. The River Hawks have had Boston College's number in recent history, winning the last five games outright by a combined score of 17-8 before Boston College ended the five-game skid at home on Jan. 27, 2018. In the last 10 meetings against UMass Lowell, BC is 3-6-1. Since Tsongas Center was erected, Boston College owns an 18-10-2 mark in that building, but in the last six games, BC has only put up a 1-4-1 record. In Hockey East Tournament action, Boston College and Lowell have met nine times. The Eagles have a significant upperhand with a 5-2-2 overall record over the River Hawks, going 2-1-1 in quarterfinal action, an unblemished 3-0 mark in the semifinal round and an 0-1 mark in the championship bout. Since taking over at BC, Coach York has amassed a 46-24-4 mark against the River Hawks. In all, Boston College is 65-41-9 and since Lowell head coach Norm Bazin's arrival, the Eagles are 8-8-3 in 19 meetings.

LET'S GET ROWDY
UMass Lowell had last weekend off after facing the Eagles and recently hosted American International this past Tuesday, Feb. 6 as the River Hawks shutout the Yellow Jackets, 4-0. Since the second half of the season started, Lowell has righted the ship and gone 6-2 down the stretch. The River Hawks offense is averaging 3.11 goals per game, which ranks 20th on the national level and fourth in Hockey East. The UMass Lowell defense is surrendering 2.71 goals per game, 24th in college hockey and fifth in the conference. The power play is operating at a rate of 18.0 percent (23-of-128), good for 34th in the NCAA.

LOOSE CHANGE FROM THE OPENING ROUND OF THE BEANPOT
• Following Monday's loss, Boston College falls to 78-53, all-time, in Beanpot play while it moves to 34-12 all time against Northeastern. The Huskies finish the regular season series with a 2-1 advantage over the Eagles.

• The Eagles will play in their 31st consolation game next Monday, February 12th against the likes of either Boston University or Harvard. BC holds a 23-7 record all-time in consolation games. The Eagles have won eight of their last 10 consolation games dating back to 1992.

• On Monday nights in February, Boston College is 28-13 all-time against potential opponent Harvard while it trails the all-time series vs. the Terriers, 28-16.

• Despite the setback, head coach Jerry York's 31 wins in the Beanpot series still remains 14 more than the combined efforts of the three-other active coaches. All-time, York's 31 wins are the second most in Beanpot history, with only BU's Jack Parker having captured more wins all-time (58).

• Monday's 3-0 loss was the first time they've been on the opposite side of a shutout since January 17th, 2017 - a 3-0 setback vs. Boston University. The 23rd shutout in Beanpot history, tonight's shutout was the first time since 1988 that the Eagles have been held scoreless in a Beanpot game. The 4-0 semifinal loss in the 1988 Beanpot also came at the hands of the Huskies, coincidentally the last year Northeastern would win the Beanpot.

• Logan Hutsko led all Eagles and matched a game-high with six shots on goal for Boston College. His six SOG's matches the second most he's registered in a game this season, with only more coming against Wisconsin on October 13 (7).

ATOP THE LEADERBOARD
Despite coming away with no points in Hartford on Feb. 2 after a 5-3 loss to UConn, the Eagles maintained their first-place lead on Hockey East after Northeastern tied New Hampshire and Providence lost to Vermont. Boston College is 13-11-3 in Hockey East with five games to go and is in search for its 16th regular-season crown.

McPHEELIN' IT
Sophomore Graham McPhee leads the Eagles with 11 goals on the season seven of which since the turn of the calendar year. Against UMass Lowell, McPhee scored a pair of goals on Jan. 26th and then scored the game winner on the 27th, his second of the season and first since his one at Northeastern on Nov. 18. The Las Vegas native is tied for 82nd, nationally in goals per game (0.39 gpg) and tied for ninth in Hockey East.

HIGH-FLYIN' FIN
After Julius Mattila strung together a nine-game pointstreak from Nov. 17 to Jan. 6, the Finnish product went on a five-game point draught. Mattila snapped that scoreless string with his seventh and eighth goals of the season at UConn on Feb. 2. Mattila accounted for his second-career two-goal performance and second of the season (Nov. 24 vs. Harvard), including his second power play goal of the year.

CAN'T KEEP UP WITH COTTON
Sophomore David Cotton scored his third power play goal of the season, second in four games, against Lowell on Jan. 27. It marked the sophomore's seventh goal of the season and team-leading seventh-career power play tally. After a seven-game point streak from Dec. 2 to Jan. 14, Cotton had gone scoreless his last two outings but ended that quick dry spell last week.

DEFENDING THE NEST
Boston College's defense continues to limit the opposing lamp being lit as BC is now holding its opponents to 2.82 goals per game. That number is 29th, nationally, and seventh overall in the league. Over the course of the last six games, BC has only given up more than three goals three times.

THE BRICK WOLL
Sophomore backstopper Joseph Woll has stopped 537-of-596 shots faced in his first 22 outings for a .901 save percentage which is currently 52nd in all of college hockey while his 2.75 goals against average ranks 38th in the game. Woll has stopped 1,449 - of - 1,595 shots faced (.908 save percentage) with a career mark of 2.69 goals against average. 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. Woll recently returned from the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship where he backstopped Team USA to a bronze medal.