Friday, 02/09/96 At Kelley Rink, Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, MA
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PROVIDENCE COLLEGE 2 0 2 - 4 10-6-2 HE (0-2 SO) 15-11-2 overall
BOSTON COLLEGE 1 0 0 - 1 9-9-2 HE (1-1 SO) 12-14-3 overall
(Full box posted to list INFO-HOCKEY-L).
COMMENTS:
Providence College used stifling defense and capitalized on Boston
College mistakes to post a 4-1 win at BC Friday night. Joe Hulbig
scored a hat trick and assisted on the other PC goal to gain the game's
number one star. BC was limited to only 11 shots in the first two
periods before pushing hard in the third period, but Providence was
able to hold on and then score twice to put the game away. BC showed
signs of mental fatigue after the big weekend last week against Maine
and BU, coming out very weak and giving away the first two PC goals.
Providence showed why it is one of the best defensive teams in the
East by shutting down most of BC's offense; Dan Dennis played a solid
if not spectacular game in goal to get the win.
Providence carried most of the play in the first period, bottling BC
up before they could break out to center ice and taking advantage of
Eagle mistakes to score twice. Joe Hulbig got the first of his hat
trick when BC was unable to clear the puck and he beat a sluggish
Greg Taylor to the right side from the middle. He picked up his
second on a power play on a very bad mistake by BC netminder Taylor.
After the puck was shot into the BC zone, Taylor went behind his net
to collect. Rather than let the defense handle it he tried to clear
the puck up the boards, and Hulbig reached out and intercepted it,
then slid the puck from a sharp angle into the vacated net. The Eagles
were obviously not playing well at all and coach Jerry York took an
early timeout to try to settle his team. It almost had immediate
results when Reasoner stole the puck and fed a breaking David Hymovitz,
but his slap shot was stopped by Dennis and play fell into a slow,
defensive rhythm.
Boston College got their only goal on a late first period power play
as Hymovitz sped around the defense into the right corner and along
the deep boards, then fed Don Chase right in front for a quick score
over Dennis's shoulder. Ken Hemenway also got an assist. Both teams
had good opportunities after that but neither could capitalize.
The second period featured a lot of defensive work and no scoring. The
PC defense stifled BC, who kept trying to set up nice passing plays to
the front of the net and were turned away by a collapsing defense.
The Eagles only managed 4 shots on goal in the period, even with a
power play midway through the session. Frustration may have been part
of the 10-minute misconduct penalty that BC's Brendan Buckley took
late in the period.
The third period opened with more open ice with a 4-on-4 situation, and
there was more offense in the period, especially from BC. PC's David
Green had a center slot slapper rise over Taylor's shoulder and clang
high off the crossbar a minute in, then BC put together a good stretch
of heavy pressure. Mittleman and Brian Callahan both had near misses,
and Peter Masters hit a post from the right side, but nothing beat
Dennis. Finally another BC mistake gave Providence the big third goal
to push the lead to 3-1. After jamming behind the net between the BC
defense and some PC players, a Providence forward came clear with the
puck and no one came back to cover him. He wheeled in front and jammed
the puck to the net; Taylor stopped that one and a quick followup, but
was unable to cover the puck. Finally Jon Cameron swept the puck along
the ice while being tackled by a defenseman and it slid inside the right
post, just out of Taylor's reach.
Boston College put together some desperate offense from that point onward
but could not score. Don Chase lifted a backhand rebound shot but hit
Dennis's glove, then later Hymovitz hammered a right circle shot that
Dennis blocked away from the far upper corner of the net. Providence
was content to sit tight defensively and look for counterattacks. It
finally provided the opportunity for Hulbig to complete his hat trick
during a 3-on-1 break. Sheehan faked a close-in shot and passed to a
breaking Hulbig at the left post who tapped it in to close out the
scoring.
After 2 months of strong play at home, BC has to be disappointed with
the poor showing tonight. They obviously were not ready to play at
the start of the game, dug themselves a hole, and found Providence
is a hard team to have to come from behind against. PC doesn't do
anything spectacularly but is very solid defensively, which is enough
to frustrate teams who aren't willing to work very hard to score.
The Friars do not play a wide-open style (so they aren't appealing to
TV viewers) but coach Pooley keeps them in most games that way. If
they discover some consistent scoring they could still be trouble
for someone in the playoffs.
Providence moved back ahead of Boston College into fourth place in
Hockey East with the victory, with 54 points. BC has 50 points, and
has only 4 league games remaining, while Providence has 6 league games
left. BC next plays the Beanpot consolation game Monday Feb. 12th
against Harvard, has the next weekend off, then finishes with games
at Northeastern, at New Hampshire, at UMass-Amherst, and home against
Boston University. Providence's remaining schedule is: At Merrimack
on Saturday, Feb. 10th, then a home-and-home pair with Boston
University, home to UNH, at UMass-Amherst, and finally at Maine.
Several of us were reflecting after the game that our expectations
are certainly different this year for BC. This was a game we wanted
and expected to win; after all, BC has been playing well at home most
of the season. Last year we would have been happy just to have made
it close. The last couple of games have seen the freshmen fall off
the pace; perhaps they are feeling some fatigue and were a little
intimidated by the Beanpot attention. If the Eagles put together a
good effort in Monday's night consolation and can finish strong,
they still have a shot at catching Providence for 4th place and
home ice in the Hockey East playoffs.
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Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask]
Read the FAQ!!! A patient BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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