(Box from BC game summary sheet)
Sunday, January 27, 2002 at Kelley Rink (Conte Forum), Chestnut Hill, MA
PC 5, BC 2 HOCKEY EAST GAME
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PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (HE) 0 4 1 - 5 (12-12-3 overall, 7-7-1 HE)
BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 0 1 1 - 2 (12-12-2 overall, 5-10-1 HE)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
PC 10-15- 6 -- 31 6 - 15 1 - 3
BC 6-12-15 -- 33 4 - 8 0 - 5
PC - Nolan Schaefer 6-11-14 - 31 saves/2 goals (60:00)
BC - Tim Kelleher 10-11- 5 - 26 saves/4 goals (59:10)
Referee - Scott Hansen
Assistants - Bob Bernard, Joe Ross
Attendance - 2013 (Patriots AFC championship game on TV)
1st Period
No Scoring
Penalties
PC - Chaput (holding) 1:24
PC - Platt (delay of game) 3:09
BC - Dziama (holding) 8:18
PC - Omicioli (holding) 10:34
BC - Voce (obstruction - holding) 19:28
2nd Period
BC1 Tony Voce 19 (unassisted) 2:39
PC1 Devin Rask 11 (Drew Omicioli) 3:22
PC2 Peter Zingoni 5 (Jon DiSalvatore, Peter Fregoe) 8:29
PC3 Drew Omicioli 12 (Regan Kelly) PPG 11:15 GWG
PC4 Drew Omicioli 13 (Chris Chaput, Eric Lundberg) 14:41
Penalties
BC - Spina (hooking) 9:51
PC - Fregoe (elbowing - 5 min. major) 15:55
3rd Period
BC2 Tony Voce 20 (Jeff Giuliano, A.J. Walker) 7:46
BC Timeout 16:48
PC5 Regan Kelly 4 (Peter Fregoe, Devin Rask) 18:31 ENG
Penalties
PC - Zingoni (high-sticking) 2:05
BC - Walker (roughing) 9:54
PC - Kelly (roughing) 9:54
3 Stars - 1. PC - Drew Omicioli (2G, 1A)
2. BC - Tony Voce (2G)
3. PC - Peter Zingoni (1G)
Providence College:
F PETER ZINGONI, PETER FREGOE, JON DISALVATORE
Chris Chaput, Devin Rask, Drew Omicioli
Mike Lucci, Doug Wright, Jonathan Goodwin
Marc Suderman, Mike Robinson, Cody Loughlean
D REGAN KELLY, SHAWN WEIMAN
Jason Platt, Eric Lundberg
Jeff Mason, Stephen Wood
G NOLAN SCHAEFER, David Cacciola, Tom Wurz
Boston College:
F JEFF GIULIANO, TONY VOCE, A.J. WALKER
Ned Havern, Ryan Shannon, Dave Spina
Ben McManama, Ty Hennes, Justin Dziama
D BRETT PETERSON, Andrew Alberts
ANTHONY D'ARPINO, Bill Cass
Brett Peterson, Taylor Leahy
G TIM KELLEHER, Matti Kaltiainen, Robbie Miller
COMMENTS
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Providence College swept the weekend series with Boston College with a 5-2
win Sunday afternoon. The game, played before a sparse crowd due to the
fact that it was on TV along with the Patriots TV game at the same time in
the AFC championship game, was slow and dull for much of the afternoon.
Providence exploded for 4 goals in the second period, dominating a slow and
ineffective BC squad again skating only 15 skaters due to injury. BC tried
another 3rd period comeback similar to Friday evenings game but was unable
to solve goalie Nolan Schaefer for more than 2 goals. Schaefer played a
strong game throughout and was helped by post and crossbar to stymie the
Eagles.
The first period was slow and scoreless, with both teams getting power plays
but unable to capitalize. BC had the first good opportunity when a nice
passing play from left to right and back to an open left wing produced a
shot
at the open left side of the net. Unfortunately Ned Havern's shot hit the
post and rebounded into the crease where it was cleared. PC's Chris Chaput
took a penalty on the play, setting up some BC pressure on the power play.
After several shots in close and a scramble in the slot, Jason Platt closed
his hand on the puck and threw it out of the zone and into the stands. BC
got a brief 5-on-3 due to the resulting delay of game penalty but was only
able to muster one shot which Schaefer smothered. Providence then mounted
some pressure of their own and got their own power play opportunity. Good
work led to several shots but no score. BC got a counter rush as the man
came out of the box and drew another penalty on the Friars, but tended to
shoot wide and failed to dent the net on the power play. Both teams had
rushes back and forth for the next few minutes but the only dangerous shot
was one Providence took on their own goalie when trying to clear a loose
carom from the slot; Schaefer blocked the shot. PC kept much of the late
period play in the BC zone but got only outside shots, and a BC penalty
to protect the slot ended the period.
Providence was unable to score on the continued power play to start the
second period, but had intense pressure immediately after it ended. One
centering pass produced a bang-bang shot that Kelleher flipped and sprawled
backward to cover, then he made another big save on a 2-on-1 Friar break-in.
BC countered when Tony Voce drove down the right side around the defense,
fired a backhand shot that was saved, but collected his own rebound,
circled the net and flipped a feed to the front of the net. It deflected
off the skate of PC's Platt and directly into the net for the game's first
goal. Providence got that back less than a minute later, though, following
a hard rush by Drew Omicioli. He was forced past the net to the right by
the defense but fed a pass back to the slot to an unmarked Devin Rask. He
was able to line up a shot and fire it high past Kelleher. The goal light
did not come on (apparently the goal judges were not in place for this
game?) but after the puck was cleared from the crease the referee indicated
that it was a goal. A subsequent look at the TV replay later was not
clear on whether it was in the net or off the crossbar and post; in any
case, it was tied 1-1. The Eagles got some chances shortly after that with
Spina and Voce firing shots, but at that point BC started to sag and PC
began to outskate them, beating them to pucks and forcing the play. When
BC was unable to get the puck out of the zone Zingoni got a shot, then the
rebound was centered back to the front of the net and Zingoni was there to
tip it by Kelleher. BC took at penalty not long after that, and though
Kelleher made a nice save on a Fregoe move and shot from the middle, it only
delayed the next goal by seconds. A 2-on-1 rush was held up by a nice
defensive play, but the puck was then passed back to the point. Regan
Kelly wound up like he was shooting but instead fired a hard long pass to
the left side of the crease where an unmarked Drew Omicioli touched it into
the open goal.
Providence continued the pressure, with Goodwin stealing the puck and firing
a high shot that was saved, then Fregoe missed wide. BC was then caught out
of position and gave up a 3-on-2 rush up the right side, and Omicioli was
in position to take a drop pass and fire a hard slapshot past Kelleher for
a commanding 4-1 lead. It didn't look like BC was able to skate hard at
all and it appeared that the fatigue that would be expected with a shortened
lineup was finally catching up to them. They then caught a break (sort of?)
when PC's Fregoe took a major penalty for elbowing Voce into the side
boards.
Voce was down for a minute but shook it off and was able to continue. The
Eagles had some extended possession for the final 4 minutes of the period
but got few good shots due to hard work by the Providence defense and some
bad passing by the Eagles; Schaefer stopped those shots that did come in.
The power play continued into the third period, and it started with Tony
Voce getting a point-blank stuff attempt at the left side which Schaefer
made a great stop to save. Then Giuliano threw the puck to the crease and
there was a mad scramble with the puck sitting loose at the top of the
crease
with players pushing and swiping at it. It was eventually pushed out and
BC got more possession after the penalty ended but were unable to score.
(From my perspective, the puck was in the crease when a defender covered it
with his glove and shoved it under the goalie to protect against a goal. I
thought it was a penalty shot offense, but the referee's angle was not good
to see this and no call was made. The later TV replay didn't show it as
clearly as I would have thought, but I still think it was a violation.)
The Eagles got another power play almost immediately on a high-sticking
call,
and had 2 very good chances. There was a good save by Schaefer followed by
Giuliano sending a shot through a screen and just wide of the left post.
After that Ryan Shannon sent the puck into a screen of players on the left
side of the slot and it deflected to the right side. Voce collected the
puck with his skate and pushed the puck softly at the open right side, an
almost sure goal. But Schaefer dived over with his stick, and replays
showed he barely deflected the puck and it slid behind him through the
crease and just by the left post. It wasn't meant to be for a BC comeback
this evening. More chances ended up wide of the net, then it was back to
up-and-down play, with PC playing defensively and BC pushing to get back in
the game.
Some later BC pressure finally paid off. A.J. Walker got the puck deep and
hard forechecking work by Giuliano forced it free behind the net. Voce
collected it, spun out to the left edge, and backhanded it shortside for the
second BC goal. The Eagles kept working hard and at the 9-minute mark
Andrew Alberts collected a deflection to the left side and hammered a slap
shot that rang off the crossbar and out. As sluggish as Boston College was
in the second period, they were now working hard and trying to get back
within one. They had more pressure and possession, but shots were either
saved, wide, or blocked by someone in front. (Unfortunately, at one point
a slapper was fired into their own man, Bill Cass, who limped off.) With
a 2-goal deficit Kelleher was pulled from the goal with 2:19 left, but BC
could not score and ultimately Providence finished the scoring with a 2-on-1
break for an empty net shot by Regan Kelly from the right side.
This game was characterized by even play in the first, complete Providence
domination in much of the second, and BC hard work to carry play in the
third. However, strong play by Schaefer in PC's goal, BC's ineffectiveness
on numerous power plays, and a second period lapse that Coach York stated
was their worst period of the year produced another Friar win. Providence
did what they had to do to get a lead, then sat on it and dared BC to catch
up; to their credit they were able to prevent the tense comeback that BC
almost had in Friday's game. The Eagles continued to struggle to find
offense, made worse this game by the absence of Ales Dolinar, usually an
energetic sparkplug. (J.D. Forrest did come back this game from the flu,
but he was not his normal self and did not play his normal complement of
minutes.)
This was BC's 6th loss in a row, all in Hockey East play. I was going to
look up when the last time that happened, but I didn't have to bother; a
BC website story states that this is a new record for consecutive losses
for the Eagles. To be sure, the losses have come against a top-5 team,
a top-10 team, and against a team selected as the preseason pick for first
in Hockey East and top-10 in the country. Not bad competition. But with
the lineup BC is skating at the moment, and the lack of defensive cohesion,
it has made it very hard to succeed. After a very strong run in November
and December, BC has dropped back to .500 overall, and is mired deep in
7th place in Hockey East. Based on their success when they had a full
lineup, and the competitiveness they have shown for most of this losing
streak, I think they can still recover to be dangerous down the stretch
and in the HE playoffs. But first they have to get back on the winning
track, particularly in upcoming matches against UMass and Merrimack, the
teams behind them in league play. The Beanpot seems less likely this year
with the tough competition (all 4 teams have played well this year at
times.)
Providence has finally made it to the .500 mark, both overall and in league
play. With a record of 4-1-2 in the last 7, and the only loss to top-five
team St. Cloud, they have to feel that they are finally getting some reward
for the talent they have. The bad news for Friar fans is that of their
last 9 games, 8 are against teams ahead of them in league standings, and
5 are on the road. If they want to make a run at home ice for the playoffs,
they will have to work harder and play more consistently than they have
for much of the season. This weekend's success was sweet over a key league
rival, but they also have to recognize that BC was understrength. With
the possible exception of Lowell, with their Olympic losses, none of their
other opponents will be shorthanded. Time will tell if they can build on
this recent success.
A final note on this game. Though the attendance was listed as 2,013, I
would estimate that no more than 1000 people were actually in the arena to
watch this game. The simultaneous airing of the AFC championship, with
the New England Patriots winning over the Steelers, kept many, many fans
at home. It might not have been this way except that the hockey game was
on TV as well, meaning that fans could stay home and watch both games,
as opposed to coming to the arena and seeing only one. It kept the game
atmosphere rather subdued, and without the students, there was no crowd
effort to lift the team. Until BC gets some wins back under their belt,
I expect the crowds to remain very light (except for big rivals like
Maine and UNH.)
BC's next game is Friday at UMass-Amherst, a must win now for the
Eagles. After that, they match up with chief rival Boston University in
the first round of the Beanpot on the following Monday. Providence has
two road games next week, Friday at Northeastern, and Saturday at UMass.
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