Wednesday, December 6, 2000 at Matthews Arena, Boston, MA
BC 0, NU 0 HOCKEY EAST GAME
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BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 0 0 0 0 - 0 (11-3-1 overall, 5-1-1 HE)
NORTHEASTERN UNIV. (HE) 0 0 0 0 - 0 (5-6-3 overall, 2-4-3 HE)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
BC 6- 9-11- 2 -- 28 7 - 14 0 - 5
NU 4- 6- 6- 0 -- 16 6 - 12 0 - 5
BC - Scott Clemmensen 4- 6- 6- 0 - 16 saves/0 goals (65:00)
NU - Mike Gilhooly 6- 9-11- 2 - 28 saves/0 goals (65:00)
3 Stars: NU Mike Gilhooly, BC Scott Clemmensen, BC Mike Lephart
COMMENTS
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Hockey East's second 0-0 tie within a week. Tight checking, hard defense,
good goalkeeping. Good crowd in a traditional hockey building, 2 teams who
play hard battling all the way to the end. Good game!
Gee, you want more comments than that? It's hard to describe a game that
was more defensive than offensive. A game where the 3rd star of the game
was awarded to the one forward who managed to hit a post (as close to
scoring as anyone came.) In fact, this was a very entertaining game, with
the tension growing as time went by, and an up-and-down exciting 3rd period.
Both coaches had to be pleased with the hard work their squads put in,
though BC lost defenseman Bobby Allen after a hard first period collision
that left him woozy and with a possible concussion.
The first period set the tone for the game early, with NU trying to hit
hard and play defensively, not letting BC wheel and deal in the offensive
zone. The Huskies actually had a few early chances, but shots went wide
or passes were blocked. That was the pattern for the game, with defenses
blocking a lot of shots or tips going wide or deflecting off bodies in
front. The shots that did make it through were saved, mostly without too
much trouble. Even the power plays were largely ineffective in the game.
Allen went down on a hard crunch along the boards almost halfway through
the period and tried but could not regain his feet. Eventually he was
assisted from the ice and did not return. Northeastern had the best chance
at a score shortly after that when John Peterman sent a partially screened
shot toward the left post, only to have Clemmensen reach out and barely
kick it away. After that, NU had few chances, playing mostly defense and
working hard to limit BC's control in the offensive zone. The Eagles did
have a few shots on a late power play and a couple of mad scrambles in the
slot but no success.
After an unsuccessful BC 3-on-2 rush early in the second, BC turned the
puck over and was forced to take a penalty. Another infraction during
the penalty kill gave NU a 5-on-3 opportunity. They had several chances
but all the shots and tips went wide of the net (no official shots on goal.)
It was that kind of night for both teams. BC had 2 more power plays during
the middle part of the period but tight checking and strong defensive play
limited their chances. Late in the period things started to heat up a bit.
Brooks Orpik led a rush and fed the puck into the slot but no forward could
tip it, then Marty Hughes was all alone at the left side of the net but
could not corral a pass sent through the crease. NU came back on a counter-
attack and found a trailing Brian Cummings right down the slot, only to have
Clemmensen make a big save on the open shot. Late in the period, with the
tight checking of BC's forwards limiting their chances, the Eagles tried
sending the defensemen in from the point to collect passes in the slot and
try to fire 1-timers. A few of these chances materialized but the shots
were either blocked or went wide or were easy saves for Gilhooly.
The third period started with BC on a power play, but their shots were
outside efforts that were blocked by the defense. With both teams more
desperate for a score, and the fatigue factor setting in on the defenses
(it was a hard-played game), things started to open up. After the Huskies
had a couple of chances during a good forechecking stint, BC came back with
Brian Gionta taking the puck behind the NU net. His quick pass to the
right slot area found Mike Lephart, and his quick wrister passed Gilhooly
but rang loudly off the post and back in front. Lots of players tried to
get a clean rebound but it was not to be. Northeastern got their last
power play a minute later and finally had success, firing several shots
at the goal or just wide. BC's Joe Schuman blocked a crossing pass to
prevent a wide-open winger from having a shot at the open net, and
Clemmensen recovered to make a couple of good late saves to keep it
scoreless. It continued as a more wide-open game, with both teams having
good chances with shots from the slot or the wing. BC began to dominate
the play late in the period, forechecking hard but unable to get a clean
shot to beat Gilhooly. A couple of low angle backhands were saved or flew
clean thru the crease, with Jeff Giuliano having 2 good opportunities.
Somehow it didn't seem as though anyone would score, and sure enough,
we went to overtime. The first part was similar to the rest of the game,
with BC having more possession but not able to translate that into shots.
Midway through, Orpik had another long rush deep into the zone (he had
3 of these on the night) and flipped a quick pass back to the near post
as he circled the net. Tony Voce jammed it quickly, but Gilhooly held
the post and covered up. Northeastern took a timeout at that point to
settle down and focus. It didn't work at first when a turnover led to
an Eagles rush, but the shot was deflected into the crowd. After that
NU got some possession and finally forced BC to ice it late in overtime.
BC took its timeout to make sure they had defensive coverage after the
faceoff. The Huskies managed to keep the puck in the zone for the last
22 seconds but could not get a shot off and it went into the books 0-0.
Some minor love taps at the buzzer resulted in matching penalties but
things were calmed successfully.
All in all it was an entertaining, tough, defensive hockey game. By all
accounts it was a hockey-purist's game, not one for the casual fan. A lot
of solid defensive play by both teams all game long; often teams play 2
good periods but have a letdown in the other. That was not the case in
this game. The goalkeepers got the first 2 stars for the shutouts but
the team defensive efforts were the real stars of the game.
It seemed clear that Northeastern decided before the game that they would
not try to play a wide-open game against BC's speed and offensive prowess,
and that strategy worked well. It limited NU's offense severely, though,
with just 16 shots on goal and only a few of those with any danger. Most
of the Huskies' closest chances at scoring were from outside shots through
screens or tipped in front, and it was just bad luck that none of them found
their way into the net. BC had more shots on goal, but had just as many
fired wide or deflected by the defense. That also limited the number of
rebounds in the game, with the pucks going to the corners, not sitting in
the slot for easy putbacks.
For Eagles fans used to offensive explosions (even being shutout, BC is still
averaging 5 goals per game in Hockey East), this might have seemed a letdown
or disappointment. Yet the prevailing feeling after the game was that the
team played well, and it was just a tough, tough game for both teams.
Nothing to complain about, and it was a fair result. Coming on the heels
of a tough weekend trip to Maine, Northeastern certainly has to feel good
about the tie against tough competition. And BC moves into a tie for
first place in Hockey East with Providence.
Northeastern next plays at Dartmouth in a non-league game. BC travels to
Maine for a single game on Sunday night before the holiday break. Bobby
Allen is questionable for that game with his injury, and with Bill Cass
already out with an injury the Eagles will need the rest of the defensive
corps to step up against the Black Bears.
A historic note: It has been reported that this is the first scoreless tie
in Northeastern hockey history. BC, on the other hand, had another 0-0
game just 3 years ago, January 10, 1998, when they tied Maine at Chestnut
Hill. That one was a bit different, though, with Alfie Michaud having to
make 42 saves to preserve the shutout.
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Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask]
"Volunteer reporter" A pleased BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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