(Box previously posted by Ron Correia, BC wins 7-5.)
BC sweeps the weekend series, continuing its recent domination of Providence
(5th win in a row over the Friars.)  Senior C Jon LaVarre did not play for
PC, and BC played without Joe Harney, Jamie O'Leary, and Peter Masters.
I spoke to Jamie O'Leary, who said he was "on his way back" from the flu;
Harney and Masters sit for coaches decision, as best I can tell.  Masters
was sat down for recent defensive lapses, I believe, and Harney may be
out for disciplinary reasons, as he appears healthy.
This game again featured a lot of motion up and down the ice, even play,
and a strong PC comeback after digging a hole for themselves.  BC has
better offensive success, though, and is able to hold out for the win.
 
FIRST PERIOD
Providence opens fast and pressures the BC defense for the first 35
seconds, only to see BC open the scoring on their first opportunity when
D Brad Carlson gets a soft shot past the goalie.  PC continues to play
aggressively, forechecking hard to keep the play in the BC end for much of
the next 10 minutes.  Most of the shots come from the point, and are easy
stops for BC's Greg Taylor.  BC hits the post at the 10:50 mark, almost
scores on a 3-on-1 break, and starts to carry the play in the 2nd half of
the period.  (Heavy pressure results in a PC defenseman clearing the puck
straight up, where it sticks in the silver insulation above the rink.)
The pressure pays off when Ryan Haggerty gets the first of his hat trick
at 15:29, tipping a low shot from the right point past Dennis.  PC gets
three break opportunities late in the period, but Taylor stops all three
as players crash toward or into the net.  This starts a trend that comes
to a head in the next period.
 
SECOND PERIOD
Play continues back and forth, with BC getting early opportunities; a goal
is disallowed at the 1:08 mark after BC's Buckley is ruled to have kicked
the puck in the net (the correct call, by the way.)  Things get much more
physical in this period, resulting in 9 of the game's 11 penalties.  Greg
Taylor is tripped by a PC player at 5:14 in a scramble at the net, and BC
gets a retaliation penalty.  Shortly after that, BC's Wainwright hooks a
PC player during heavy pressure; with the call delayed and BC defense out
of position, Greg Taylor turns around, puts both hands on the crossbar, and
shoves the net all the way back to the rear boards to stop play.  No penalty
is called, though the crowd is screaming to the refs at this point.
 
Play continues to be physical, and both teams get chances only to be foiled
by defensive plays (and penalties.)  McCarthy's clean break is halted by
a slash by Brannare, but BC cannot capitalize.  PC finally gets on the board
with a nice give-and-go play from the corner as Hanson slides the puck to
the far side of the net.  Providence continues the pressure, and another
scramble 2 minutes later causes Greg Taylor to be knocked off his feet just
as a shot is coming from the point.  Brannare scores in the wide-open net,
and the refs rule that Taylor was felled by his own defenseman.  Taylor goes
ballistic protesting the (non)call, ultimately breaking his goalie stick on
the crossbar in a fit of frustration.  (My own estimate was that this was
the 4th or 5th time in this game that he had been clobbered, whether by his
own team or the other.)  If nothing else, it got the crowd into the game.
 
Buckley quiets the crowd just a minute later when his shot from the near
left side hit the post, bounces into a player (goalie?) and ends up in the
net to put BC back in front, 3-2.  Action continues hot and heavy, with
Taylor making a nice glove save at 14:57 after his stick was knocked away
in yet another goalmouth collision.  PC then gets more pressure resulting
in a screened shot that hit the post.  Chase puts BC up 4-2 while 4-on-4
when he collects a rebound that Dennis couldn't control and pots it.
 
2ND INTERMISSION - The crowd enjoys it when 2 kids take part in a shoot-out
promotion and hit back-to-back shots from the blue line through a narrow
opening in a board in front of the net.  They then turn around and shoot
long shots toward the board in front of the other net to try to score and
win trips for 2 to Florida.  Both kids (9-12 years old?) miss by no more
than 6 inches.  The best shooting all night!
 
THIRD PERIOD
BC opens quickly, scoring twice in the opening 4 minutes to lead 6-2.
PC takes a timeout after the 6th goal to reorganize.  They come out with
heavy forechecking, trying to make things happen.  At first most of the
action comes from quick BC counterattacks, then Providence starts to gain
control of the pace.  The game continues very physical, but the refs put
the whistles away for the most part.  The only penalty leads to a PPG for
PC, when Brannare collects a rebound after Taylor stops the first shot of
a 2-on-1 break.  A defensive gamble at center ice by a BC defenseman fails
and PC capitalizes on the subsequent 3-on-2 when a shot trickles between
Taylor's legs (the ref didn't give the goal until the linesman verified it
went in before the whistle.)  Dennis Burke makes it 6-5 BC after deflecting
a soft shot from the point high over Taylor's shoulder.  BC takes their
timeout at this point (15:13 mark).  The pressure continues over the last
5 minutes, with PC forcing the action, and BC and Taylor scrambling to
protect the lead.  The puck is finally cleared in the last minute, a PC
defenseman misses the puck, and Haggerty gets his hat trick with an empty-
net goal at 19:41.
 
Providence made a better showing in this game than the night before, but
could not maintain defensive intensity when they needed to.  Despite the
PC comeback in the third, it always seemed like BC was destined to hang on
and win this one.  The BC defense played better though giving up more shots
and goals than the previous game; the major difference was the intensity
of the Providence offense, particularly the line of Brannare, Burke, and
Dillabough.  One other factor was BC not taking stupid penalties, giving
up only 2 power plays on the night.  An entertaining game, on the whole,
viewed by a sparse crowd.  Providence seems to have trouble selling a
2nd-division hockey team, averaging just over 1000 per game.  Whether this
is due to the competition of the Providence Bruins AHL team or the more
prominent basketball program, I don't know.
 
BC enjoys a brief visit to 6th place; whether they can stay there or not
will depend on how the 3 remaining games with Merrimack go.  BC remaining:
Lowell, UNH, Providence, BU, and 3 with Merrimack, along with the Beanpot.
PC needs to shore up the defense heading into the home stretch, as they
have Maine, Merrimack, Northeastern, 2 with BU, UNH, BC, and Lowell left.
---------------                              ----------------------
Rick McAdoo                                  [log in to unmask]
BC will return!                              GO EAGLES!