Battle of Comm Ave Features Nation's Top Two Teams

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- No. 2 Boston College begins a Hockey East home-and-home series against No. 1 Boston University on Friday night at Kelley Rink with faceoff at 7 p.m. on NESN. The series continues at BU's Agganis Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m. on NESN. Friday night's game marks the first contest between the two sides since last season's Beanpot semifinals, a 4-2 BC win. The Eagles and Terriers will play three times in the next 11 days as they take the ice again at TD Garden for another Beanpot semifinal. BC has won nine of its last 11 games overall and swept Merrimack last weekend. The Terriers are No. 1 in the country at 16-4-1 overall (11-1-1 HEA) and six points ahead of the Eagles in the Hockey East standings.

CUT TO THE CHASE
• Cutter Gauthier is riding a career-best 11-game point streak with a 9-10-19 scoring line.
• Gauthier scored his first career hat trick at Merrimack (1/19).
• Gauthier has scored 17 goals in his first 21 games as the sophomore ranks second in Hockey East and fourth nationally in goals per game (0.81).
• Gauthier is second nationally in game-winning goals (5) and seventh in power play goals (7).

ON A PERR-ROLL
• Gabe Perreault has at least one point in 18 of his last 19 games, including an 11-game point streak in the first half, and is currently riding a seven-game point streak.
• His last six games have all been multi-point outings; he has 13 multi-point games this season.
• The winger is coming off a four-point weekend against Merrimack (1-3-4).
• His 34 total points are the most in Hockey East and the most among NCAA freshmen.
• Perreault also leads Hockey East and is tied for third nationally with 27 assists.
• He has been named Hockey East Rookie of the Week twice this season.

NOW THIS IS A STORY
• Will Smith is riding a career-best six-game goal scoring streak with seven goals in that span.
• Smith ranks fourth in Hockey East in total goals (13).
• The rookie center ranks third among all skaters in Hockey East in points per game (1.48) and sits eighth nationally in points per game.
• All 11 of his multi-point efforts have come over his last 18 games.
• He has a point in 18 of his first 21 contests, including two seven-game point streaks.

WORKHORSE IN NET
• Jacob Fowler posted his 16th win against Merrimack last Sunday and is now 16-4-1 in net.
• He is second in Hockey East and fourth in the country in winning percentage (.786).
• Fowler is second in the league and ranks seventh nationally with a .922 save percentage.
• The rookie's 2.27 GAA ranks 10th among NCAA goalies with at least 14 appearances.
• He has played the second-most minutes among Hockey East goalies (1266:42).

Battle of Comm Ave Features Nation's Top Two Teams

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Players Mentioned

Jacob Fowler

Cutter Gauthier

Gabe Perreault

Will Smith