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.
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).
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.
Spencer Knight remained unbeaten on the season, pushing his perfect record to 7-0-0 with 30 saves including 15 in the first period.
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.
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.
Both teams finished the night 1-for-5 on the power play.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Spencer Knight remained unbeaten on the season, pushing his perfect record to 7-0-0 with 30 saves including 15 in the first period.
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.
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.
Both teams finished the night 1-for-5 on the power play.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Skaters
+/-
+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
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