
The Postseason Makes Its Way to The Heights
March 06, 2018 | Men's Hockey
For the first time since the 2011 Hockey East Title game, Boston College and Merrimack will square off in the conference tournament starting Friday night at 7 p.m.
BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT
Boston College owns an overall record of 68-31-2 (.683) in the Hockey East tournament with a record 11 Lamoriello Trophies (1987, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) and the same number of tournament MVPs. BC's 10 victories over Merrimack in the conference tournament marks the second-most wins against another school in the Hockey East Tournament (Vermont - 11). Prior to the quarterfinals loss to Notre Dame in 2014, Boston College had an 18-game winning streak in the Hockey East quarterfinals series
BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE HOCKEY EAST QUARTERFINALS
The Eagles have gotten over their two-year blip of not making the Hockey East semifinals after BC has gone to TD Garden the last two seasons. Prior to 2016 (defeated Vermont in overtime) and 2017 (swept Vermont), Boston College was bounced from the conference tournament both in 2014 (Notre Dame) and Vermont (2015). Dating back to 2004, the Eagles had not lost a Hockey East quarterfinal game until the series against the Irish. Boston College will take part in its 29th Hockey East quarterfinals series and has posted an overall record of 40-18-1 (.686) in that round of play.
JERRY YORK IN THE HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT
Jerry York's nine Hockey East tournament titles (1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) are the gold standard in Hockey East. BU's Jack Parker is second with seven. York is 58-19-1 (.750) in 78 conference postseason contests. Boston College has advanced to the semifinal round of the league tournament in 12-of-18 seasons overall under York (York's first semifinal showing was in 1997) and 12 Hockey East Championship games.
HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT SEEDING
The 2018 Hockey East Tournament marks the Eagles' 14th occasion they will be the No. 1 seed in the postseason conference tournament. As the conference's team to beat in the playoffs, Boston College has mounted a 29-10 record as the top-ranked club. In quarterfinal contests as the No. 1 seed, the Eagles are 12-6. Once Boston College has gotten past the quarterfinals round, the Eagles have had great success in the semifinal contest as the No. 1 seed, posting an 8-1 mark with the only loss coming against Northeastern in 2016 (4-5). In championship bouts as the No. 1 seed, Boston College is 6-3. The Eagles' last Hockey East Tournament title came in 2012 as the No. 1 seed after BC defeated Providence, 4-2.
BOSTON COLLEGE vs. MERRIMACK IN THE HOCKEY EAST PLAYOFFS
Boston College and Merrimack collide in the 2018 Hockey East Tournament for the first time since 2011 when the Eagles and Warriors were the last two standings. Cam Atkinson scored twice including the game-winner late in the third period, and John Muse stopped 35 shots as top-seeded Boston College topped No. 4 seed Merrimack, 5-3, in the title game of the 27th annual Hockey East Championship on March 19, 2011 at TD Garden. As the Eagles captured their 10th Hockey East title that night, that victory is included in the success Boston College has enjoyed over Merrimack in the postseason tournament. In all, Boston College possesses a 10-1 advantage in postseason action against the Warriors, including an 8-1 mark in quarterfinals matchups. This marks the fifth quarterfinals matchup with Merrimack as BC swept the Warriors in 2003 (4-1 & 2-1), 2001 (1-0 & 5-1) and 1997 (7-6 & 4-3) and went three games against MC in 1990 (3-1, 3-6 & 8-5). Boston College has outscored Merrimack, 47-24, in quarterfinals matchups. Head coach Jerry York is 8-0 against Merrimack in Hockey East postseason meetings.
THE BOSTON COLLEGE - MERRIMACK SERIES
Boston College gets to stay in the comfy confines of Conte Forum for at least two more games to take on Merrimack, a team the Eagles have dominated on The Heights for some time. Merrimack final broke through last season, ending a significant streak on Feb. 10, 2017. On the 31st try, Merrimack picked up a win at Kelley Rink. The Eagles were 27-0-3 against the Warriors at Kelley Rink and had that unbeaten stretch halted between the Beanpot last season when Merrimack skated away with a 6-3 triumph. Now, the Kelley Rink record against Merrimack stands at 27-1-3. All-time, the Eagles possess a 67-22-7 overall mark against the Warriors. Merrimack head coach, Mark Dennehy, a former Eagle under Len Ceglarski, started off his career against Jerry York winless in his first 19 meetings. York posted a 17-0-2 mark against Dennehy's club until he obtained the elusive first win over his alma mater on Nov. 1, 2009, in North Andover. In all, York is 32-5-5 against Dennehy. MC has only defeated BC twice in the last 17 encounters. Including the game on Feb. 10, 2017, the only other occurrence during that stretch took place on Feb. 15, 2013 when Conor Toomey scored an overtime game-winning power play goal with 31 seconds left in overtime in North Andover.
HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT TIDBITS
- Boston College held the record for most consecutive victories in the Hockey East tournament (12 wins | 2010 - 2013) before Notre Dame upended the Eagles in 2014.
- Boston College has won the most Hockey East tournament titles in league history (11Â |Â 1987, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012).
- Boston College owns the most Hockey East championship game appearances in conference history (17Â |Â 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017).
- Boston College holds the record for being the No. 1 seed in the tournament (14 times).
OFFENSIVE OPTICS
Since the Beanpot has come and gone, Boston College is one of college hockey's hottest offenses since Feb. 15. The Eagles are averaging 4.50 goals per game, which is the fifth best mark in all of college hockey, trailing only Northeastern & Princeton (5.00 gpg), Minnesota State (4.83 gpg) and Michigan (4.67 gpg).
OFFENDING THE OPPOSITION
The Boston College offense has started to heat up as of late, accounting for five goals in back-to-back outings against UMass and Maine on Feb. 15th and 17th, respectively, and following that with a six-goal performance against Maine on Feb. 23rd, the highest output of the season. With the recent surge the offense is now fifth in Hockey East, averaging 2.94 goals per game, and tied for 26th nationally.
FEBRUARY'S FINEST
Freshman forward Logan Hutsko collected his second conference award of the season after a fantastic February, earning Hockey East Rookie of the Month honors on Tuesday morning. The Tampa, Fla. native led all NCAA rookies with 13 points on seven goals and six assists in the month of February and is currently leading all first-year players in Hockey East, averaging 0.85 points per game. Hutsko has accounted for 12 goals and 17 assists this season and is 92nd, nationally, and tied for ninth in Hockey East.
CAN'T KEEP UP WITH COTTON
Sophomore David Cotton scored his second goal in four games in the 2-1 win over Maine on Feb. 24, accounting for his ninth marker of the season and 19th of his career. The Parker, Texas native is on a four-game point streak, notching five points (2-3-5) within that stretch. The second-year forward is second on the team in scoring (9-18-27) through the regular season.
SPECIAL TEAMS SPREE
Boston College's power play has scored at least one extra man marker in 11 of its last 13 outings after Christopher Brown netted his fourth PPG of the season on Feb. 24 against Maine.. The Eagles are (25-for-138 –18.1 percent) on the power play this season. BC's penalty-killing unit has done a nice job of turning a positive into a negative as the Eagles are tied for fifth in the nation with six short-handed goals this season. Boston College is one of nine teams in the NCAA with at least six short-handed goals this year, as both Christopher Brown and Graham McPhee lead the way for BC with a pair.
DEFENDING THE NEST
Boston College's defense continues to limit the opposing lamp being lit as BC is now holding its opponents to 2.71 goals per game. That number is 24th, nationally, and fourth overall in the league. Over the last 12 games, BC has limited its opponent to three goals or less on 10 occasions.
WHAT'S THE LO-DOWN
Graduate transfer Kevin Lohan collected Boston College's second Hockey East Player of the Week distinction on Feb. 26 after a breakout weekend in the Eagles' final two regular season games against Maine. The Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. native scored his first goal as in Eagle in his 18th outing in the maroon and gold on Feb. 23 and followed it with another tally 8:18 apart. Lohan scored his last goal against Renesselaer on Jan. 16, 2015 when he played for the University of Michigan. It marked the his first goal in 1,134 days. The veteran followed that up with an assist on Casey Carreau's first-career goal, marking Lohan's first-ever three-point performance.
THE TOAST OF HOCKEY EAST
Behind its highest scoring effort of the season on Feb. 23, Boston College skated past Maine, 6-3, and clutched its 16th Hockey East regular season championship in program history on Friday night at Kelley Rink. The Eagles' 16 regular-season conference crowns are the most of any program in the league. With the trophy-clinching victory, Boston College has locked up the No. 1 overall seed and a first-round bye in the 2018 Hockey East Tournament, the 14th time the Eagles have earned the top billing in the postseason tournament.
HUTSKO HEROICS
Freshman Logan Hutsko became the first Eagle to account for five goals in two games since Nathan Gerbe turned the trick 10 years ago during the 2007-08 season. Hutsko scored the game-tying goal and overtime winner against UMass Lowell on Feb. 9 and followed that performance with a natural hat trick against Harvard in the Beanpot consolation on Feb. 12, all occurring in the third period, in a span of 11 minutes and 23 seconds, including an even strength goal, power play goal and extra attacker goal. Gerbe is the last Eagle to have scored four goals in a game, doing so at Harvard on Dec. 12, 2007. The future NHLer then scored against Air Force on Dec. 29, 2007. It marks BC's first hat trick since JD Dudek to accomplish the feat. Dudek tallied three goals at UConn on November 22, 2016 in a 5-2 win. Because Hutsko's goals all occurred in the third period, it counts as a natural hat trick.
CASE'N THE JOINT
Captain Casey Fitzgerald is BC's leading scoring defenseman (6-13-19), which is tied for 12th in the conference amongst blueliners. The junior leads the Eagles in shots on goal (95), tied for the team lead in blocked shots (35) and scored his second power play goal of the season on Feb. 23 when BC clinched the regular-season crown.
DA DAH DA - DA DAH DA.
On the night of November 17, Joseph Woll's sprawling save to preserve a 3-2 lead at New Hampshire was awarded the No. 2 play on SportsCenter as part of the nightly show's #SCTop10 feature. The Eagles dominated the headlines once again as Logan Hutsko's run-to-daylight goal was the No. 1 play on SportsCenter on Feb. 23, 2018, the night the Eagles clinched the regular-season title.
THE BRICK WOLL
Sophomore backstopper Joseph Woll earned his second Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honor after racking up his first shutout of the season and second of his career in a 5-0 win at Maine on Feb. 17. It marked his first shutout of the season and first blanking since last March in the Hockey East quarterfinals against Vermont on March 10, 2017. The St. Louis native has stopped 685-of-752 shots faced in 27 outings for a .911 save percentage which is currently 34th in all of college hockey while his 2.53 goals against average ranks 32nd in the game. Woll has stopped 1,597 - of - 1,751 shots faced (.912 save percentage) with a career mark of 2.59 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.
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 1,051 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.
Boston College owns an overall record of 68-31-2 (.683) in the Hockey East tournament with a record 11 Lamoriello Trophies (1987, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) and the same number of tournament MVPs. BC's 10 victories over Merrimack in the conference tournament marks the second-most wins against another school in the Hockey East Tournament (Vermont - 11). Prior to the quarterfinals loss to Notre Dame in 2014, Boston College had an 18-game winning streak in the Hockey East quarterfinals series
BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE HOCKEY EAST QUARTERFINALS
The Eagles have gotten over their two-year blip of not making the Hockey East semifinals after BC has gone to TD Garden the last two seasons. Prior to 2016 (defeated Vermont in overtime) and 2017 (swept Vermont), Boston College was bounced from the conference tournament both in 2014 (Notre Dame) and Vermont (2015). Dating back to 2004, the Eagles had not lost a Hockey East quarterfinal game until the series against the Irish. Boston College will take part in its 29th Hockey East quarterfinals series and has posted an overall record of 40-18-1 (.686) in that round of play.
JERRY YORK IN THE HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT
Jerry York's nine Hockey East tournament titles (1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) are the gold standard in Hockey East. BU's Jack Parker is second with seven. York is 58-19-1 (.750) in 78 conference postseason contests. Boston College has advanced to the semifinal round of the league tournament in 12-of-18 seasons overall under York (York's first semifinal showing was in 1997) and 12 Hockey East Championship games.
HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT SEEDING
The 2018 Hockey East Tournament marks the Eagles' 14th occasion they will be the No. 1 seed in the postseason conference tournament. As the conference's team to beat in the playoffs, Boston College has mounted a 29-10 record as the top-ranked club. In quarterfinal contests as the No. 1 seed, the Eagles are 12-6. Once Boston College has gotten past the quarterfinals round, the Eagles have had great success in the semifinal contest as the No. 1 seed, posting an 8-1 mark with the only loss coming against Northeastern in 2016 (4-5). In championship bouts as the No. 1 seed, Boston College is 6-3. The Eagles' last Hockey East Tournament title came in 2012 as the No. 1 seed after BC defeated Providence, 4-2.
BOSTON COLLEGE vs. MERRIMACK IN THE HOCKEY EAST PLAYOFFS
Boston College and Merrimack collide in the 2018 Hockey East Tournament for the first time since 2011 when the Eagles and Warriors were the last two standings. Cam Atkinson scored twice including the game-winner late in the third period, and John Muse stopped 35 shots as top-seeded Boston College topped No. 4 seed Merrimack, 5-3, in the title game of the 27th annual Hockey East Championship on March 19, 2011 at TD Garden. As the Eagles captured their 10th Hockey East title that night, that victory is included in the success Boston College has enjoyed over Merrimack in the postseason tournament. In all, Boston College possesses a 10-1 advantage in postseason action against the Warriors, including an 8-1 mark in quarterfinals matchups. This marks the fifth quarterfinals matchup with Merrimack as BC swept the Warriors in 2003 (4-1 & 2-1), 2001 (1-0 & 5-1) and 1997 (7-6 & 4-3) and went three games against MC in 1990 (3-1, 3-6 & 8-5). Boston College has outscored Merrimack, 47-24, in quarterfinals matchups. Head coach Jerry York is 8-0 against Merrimack in Hockey East postseason meetings.
THE BOSTON COLLEGE - MERRIMACK SERIES
Boston College gets to stay in the comfy confines of Conte Forum for at least two more games to take on Merrimack, a team the Eagles have dominated on The Heights for some time. Merrimack final broke through last season, ending a significant streak on Feb. 10, 2017. On the 31st try, Merrimack picked up a win at Kelley Rink. The Eagles were 27-0-3 against the Warriors at Kelley Rink and had that unbeaten stretch halted between the Beanpot last season when Merrimack skated away with a 6-3 triumph. Now, the Kelley Rink record against Merrimack stands at 27-1-3. All-time, the Eagles possess a 67-22-7 overall mark against the Warriors. Merrimack head coach, Mark Dennehy, a former Eagle under Len Ceglarski, started off his career against Jerry York winless in his first 19 meetings. York posted a 17-0-2 mark against Dennehy's club until he obtained the elusive first win over his alma mater on Nov. 1, 2009, in North Andover. In all, York is 32-5-5 against Dennehy. MC has only defeated BC twice in the last 17 encounters. Including the game on Feb. 10, 2017, the only other occurrence during that stretch took place on Feb. 15, 2013 when Conor Toomey scored an overtime game-winning power play goal with 31 seconds left in overtime in North Andover.
HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT TIDBITS
- Boston College held the record for most consecutive victories in the Hockey East tournament (12 wins | 2010 - 2013) before Notre Dame upended the Eagles in 2014.
- Boston College has won the most Hockey East tournament titles in league history (11Â |Â 1987, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012).
- Boston College owns the most Hockey East championship game appearances in conference history (17Â |Â 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017).
- Boston College holds the record for being the No. 1 seed in the tournament (14 times).
OFFENSIVE OPTICS
Since the Beanpot has come and gone, Boston College is one of college hockey's hottest offenses since Feb. 15. The Eagles are averaging 4.50 goals per game, which is the fifth best mark in all of college hockey, trailing only Northeastern & Princeton (5.00 gpg), Minnesota State (4.83 gpg) and Michigan (4.67 gpg).
OFFENDING THE OPPOSITION
The Boston College offense has started to heat up as of late, accounting for five goals in back-to-back outings against UMass and Maine on Feb. 15th and 17th, respectively, and following that with a six-goal performance against Maine on Feb. 23rd, the highest output of the season. With the recent surge the offense is now fifth in Hockey East, averaging 2.94 goals per game, and tied for 26th nationally.
FEBRUARY'S FINEST
Freshman forward Logan Hutsko collected his second conference award of the season after a fantastic February, earning Hockey East Rookie of the Month honors on Tuesday morning. The Tampa, Fla. native led all NCAA rookies with 13 points on seven goals and six assists in the month of February and is currently leading all first-year players in Hockey East, averaging 0.85 points per game. Hutsko has accounted for 12 goals and 17 assists this season and is 92nd, nationally, and tied for ninth in Hockey East.
CAN'T KEEP UP WITH COTTON
Sophomore David Cotton scored his second goal in four games in the 2-1 win over Maine on Feb. 24, accounting for his ninth marker of the season and 19th of his career. The Parker, Texas native is on a four-game point streak, notching five points (2-3-5) within that stretch. The second-year forward is second on the team in scoring (9-18-27) through the regular season.
SPECIAL TEAMS SPREE
Boston College's power play has scored at least one extra man marker in 11 of its last 13 outings after Christopher Brown netted his fourth PPG of the season on Feb. 24 against Maine.. The Eagles are (25-for-138 –18.1 percent) on the power play this season. BC's penalty-killing unit has done a nice job of turning a positive into a negative as the Eagles are tied for fifth in the nation with six short-handed goals this season. Boston College is one of nine teams in the NCAA with at least six short-handed goals this year, as both Christopher Brown and Graham McPhee lead the way for BC with a pair.
DEFENDING THE NEST
Boston College's defense continues to limit the opposing lamp being lit as BC is now holding its opponents to 2.71 goals per game. That number is 24th, nationally, and fourth overall in the league. Over the last 12 games, BC has limited its opponent to three goals or less on 10 occasions.
WHAT'S THE LO-DOWN
Graduate transfer Kevin Lohan collected Boston College's second Hockey East Player of the Week distinction on Feb. 26 after a breakout weekend in the Eagles' final two regular season games against Maine. The Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. native scored his first goal as in Eagle in his 18th outing in the maroon and gold on Feb. 23 and followed it with another tally 8:18 apart. Lohan scored his last goal against Renesselaer on Jan. 16, 2015 when he played for the University of Michigan. It marked the his first goal in 1,134 days. The veteran followed that up with an assist on Casey Carreau's first-career goal, marking Lohan's first-ever three-point performance.
THE TOAST OF HOCKEY EAST
Behind its highest scoring effort of the season on Feb. 23, Boston College skated past Maine, 6-3, and clutched its 16th Hockey East regular season championship in program history on Friday night at Kelley Rink. The Eagles' 16 regular-season conference crowns are the most of any program in the league. With the trophy-clinching victory, Boston College has locked up the No. 1 overall seed and a first-round bye in the 2018 Hockey East Tournament, the 14th time the Eagles have earned the top billing in the postseason tournament.
HUTSKO HEROICS
Freshman Logan Hutsko became the first Eagle to account for five goals in two games since Nathan Gerbe turned the trick 10 years ago during the 2007-08 season. Hutsko scored the game-tying goal and overtime winner against UMass Lowell on Feb. 9 and followed that performance with a natural hat trick against Harvard in the Beanpot consolation on Feb. 12, all occurring in the third period, in a span of 11 minutes and 23 seconds, including an even strength goal, power play goal and extra attacker goal. Gerbe is the last Eagle to have scored four goals in a game, doing so at Harvard on Dec. 12, 2007. The future NHLer then scored against Air Force on Dec. 29, 2007. It marks BC's first hat trick since JD Dudek to accomplish the feat. Dudek tallied three goals at UConn on November 22, 2016 in a 5-2 win. Because Hutsko's goals all occurred in the third period, it counts as a natural hat trick.
CASE'N THE JOINT
Captain Casey Fitzgerald is BC's leading scoring defenseman (6-13-19), which is tied for 12th in the conference amongst blueliners. The junior leads the Eagles in shots on goal (95), tied for the team lead in blocked shots (35) and scored his second power play goal of the season on Feb. 23 when BC clinched the regular-season crown.
DA DAH DA - DA DAH DA.
On the night of November 17, Joseph Woll's sprawling save to preserve a 3-2 lead at New Hampshire was awarded the No. 2 play on SportsCenter as part of the nightly show's #SCTop10 feature. The Eagles dominated the headlines once again as Logan Hutsko's run-to-daylight goal was the No. 1 play on SportsCenter on Feb. 23, 2018, the night the Eagles clinched the regular-season title.
THE BRICK WOLL
Sophomore backstopper Joseph Woll earned his second Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week honor after racking up his first shutout of the season and second of his career in a 5-0 win at Maine on Feb. 17. It marked his first shutout of the season and first blanking since last March in the Hockey East quarterfinals against Vermont on March 10, 2017. The St. Louis native has stopped 685-of-752 shots faced in 27 outings for a .911 save percentage which is currently 34th in all of college hockey while his 2.53 goals against average ranks 32nd in the game. Woll has stopped 1,597 - of - 1,751 shots faced (.912 save percentage) with a career mark of 2.59 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.
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 1,051 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.
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