Sunday, January 17
North Andover, MA
4:00 p.m.
Boston College
8-2-0, 8-2-0HEA
5
at
3
Merrimack
1-7-0, 1-7-0HEA
1
2
3
F
BC
1
1
3
5
Merrimack
1
1
1
3
Photo by: Alastair Ingram
McLaughlin's Heroics Push No. 3 Eagles Past Merrimack 5-3
January 17, 2021 | Men's Hockey
Captain Marc McLaughlin provided a dramatic game-winner for the second time in three games
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – For the second time in three games, captain Marc McLaughlin provided a dramatic game-winning goal as the third-ranked Eagles scored three unanswered in the third period to beat Merrimack 5-3 on Sunday at Lawler Arena to sweep a home-and-home series.
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McLaughlin added two assists and posted a three-point performance for Boston College, which improved to 8-2-0 following its third straight win overall and sixth straight against the Warriors (1-7-0).
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Rookie Nikita Nesterenko had the primary assist on McLaughlin's game-winner with 4:01 remaining in regulation and scored a shorthanded goal for a multi-point night. The shorthanded tally gave Boston College a nation-leading five on the season. Trevor Kuntar, Logan Hutsko and Matt Boldy (empty-netter) also lit the lamp.
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Spencer Knight remained unbeaten on the season, pushing his perfect record to 7-0-0 with 30 saves including 15 in the first period.
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With the secondary assist on the game-winner in the third, Tim Lovell collected his first NCAA point. Mitch Andres also registered his first point of the season with an assist.
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Merrimack pulled goaltender Zachary Borgiel (31 saves) with just over a minute left but couldn't find the equalizer, despite Logan Drevitch hitting the post from the right wing.
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Both teams finished the night 1-for-5 on the power play.
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SCORING SUMMARY
1st 9:48, BC (1-0) | McLaughlin quickly cut behind the net to send a backhand feed past the right post and Kuntar capitalized by snapping a shot past Borgiel's blocker.
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1st 19:47, MC (1-1) | Near the end of the first on a 5-on-3, Zach Uens drifted to the right circle and fired a shot on Knight, but the rebound fell to Ben Brar who backhanded the puck inside the right post.
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2nd 0:55, BC (2-1) | In the first minute of the second period, Jack St. Ivany dropped a pass to Nesterenko at the top of the right circle and the rookie ripped a shot glove side to beat Borgiel.
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2nd 1:51, MC (2-2) | Conor Lovett skated wide around the Boston College defense to the right doorstep and slipped a pass to Filip Forsmark, who finished first-time under Knight's pads.
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3rd 11:52, MC (2-3) | Alex Jefferies skated onto a lofted clearance along the left wing boards, cut inside to the low slot, and tucked a forehand shot into the top right corner glove side.
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3rd 13:00, BC (3-3) | Following a clean faceoff win from Jack McBain, Hutsko curled above the left circle and wristed a shot into the top left corner, blocker side through a screen.
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3rd 15:59, BC (4-3) | With seconds remaining on a power play, Nesterenko threaded a pass to McLaughlin just above the left goal line extended and the senior fired a shot high short side over Borgiel's shoulder.
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3rd 19:59, BC (5-3) | McLaughlin tipped the puck out of the defensive zone and Mike Hardman quickly fed Boldy, who found an open Merrimack net from neutral ice to seal the points.
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McLaughlin added two assists and posted a three-point performance for Boston College, which improved to 8-2-0 following its third straight win overall and sixth straight against the Warriors (1-7-0).
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Rookie Nikita Nesterenko had the primary assist on McLaughlin's game-winner with 4:01 remaining in regulation and scored a shorthanded goal for a multi-point night. The shorthanded tally gave Boston College a nation-leading five on the season. Trevor Kuntar, Logan Hutsko and Matt Boldy (empty-netter) also lit the lamp.
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Spencer Knight remained unbeaten on the season, pushing his perfect record to 7-0-0 with 30 saves including 15 in the first period.
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With the secondary assist on the game-winner in the third, Tim Lovell collected his first NCAA point. Mitch Andres also registered his first point of the season with an assist.
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Merrimack pulled goaltender Zachary Borgiel (31 saves) with just over a minute left but couldn't find the equalizer, despite Logan Drevitch hitting the post from the right wing.
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Both teams finished the night 1-for-5 on the power play.
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SCORING SUMMARY
1st 9:48, BC (1-0) | McLaughlin quickly cut behind the net to send a backhand feed past the right post and Kuntar capitalized by snapping a shot past Borgiel's blocker.
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1st 19:47, MC (1-1) | Near the end of the first on a 5-on-3, Zach Uens drifted to the right circle and fired a shot on Knight, but the rebound fell to Ben Brar who backhanded the puck inside the right post.
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2nd 0:55, BC (2-1) | In the first minute of the second period, Jack St. Ivany dropped a pass to Nesterenko at the top of the right circle and the rookie ripped a shot glove side to beat Borgiel.
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2nd 1:51, MC (2-2) | Conor Lovett skated wide around the Boston College defense to the right doorstep and slipped a pass to Filip Forsmark, who finished first-time under Knight's pads.
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3rd 11:52, MC (2-3) | Alex Jefferies skated onto a lofted clearance along the left wing boards, cut inside to the low slot, and tucked a forehand shot into the top right corner glove side.
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3rd 13:00, BC (3-3) | Following a clean faceoff win from Jack McBain, Hutsko curled above the left circle and wristed a shot into the top left corner, blocker side through a screen.
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3rd 15:59, BC (4-3) | With seconds remaining on a power play, Nesterenko threaded a pass to McLaughlin just above the left goal line extended and the senior fired a shot high short side over Borgiel's shoulder.
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3rd 19:59, BC (5-3) | McLaughlin tipped the puck out of the defensive zone and Mike Hardman quickly fed Boldy, who found an open Merrimack net from neutral ice to seal the points.
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Team Stats
BC
MER
Shots
36
33
PPG
1
1
SHG
1
0
Penalties
5
5
Penalty Mins
10
10
Faceoffs Won
37
25
Game Leaders
+/-
+3
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
2
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
1
+/-
-1
Goals
1
Sh
6
A
0
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
5
A
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
D
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