(Box from online sources and my notes)
Saturday, October 9, 2004 at Kelley Rink, Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, MA
BC 7, UNB 2 preseason exhibition
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UNIV. OF NEW BRUNSWICK (AUAA) 0 1 1 - 2 (2-2-0 overall, 0=0=0 AUAA)
BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 4 3 0 - 7 (1-0-0 overall, 0-0-0 HE)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
UNB 6- 3- 5 -- 14 16 - 32 1 - 9
BC 19-10- 9 -- 38 13 - 29 3 - 11
UNB - Andy Leblanc 15- 7- x - 22 saves/7 goals (40:00)
Gene Chiarello x- x- 9 - 9 saves/0 goals (20:00)
(??? - I thought Chiarello played some of the second period ...)
BC - Matti Kaltiainen 6- x- x - 6 saves/0 goals (20:00)
Cory Schneider x- 2- x - 2 saves/1 goal (20:00)
Robbie Miller x- x- 4 - 4 saves/1 goal (20:00)
Referee - Tom Fyrer
Assistants - Frank Keough, Chris Aughe
Attendance - 1324
1st Period
BC1 Ryan Shannon (David Spina) SHG 6:49
BC2 Peter Harrold (Dan Bertram, Matt Greene) 7:43
BC3 Stephen Gionta (Ryan Murphy, Mike Brennan) PPG 9:00 GWG
UNB Timeout 9:00
BC4 Patrick Eaves (Ryan Shannon, Brian O'Hanley) PPG 15:15
Penalties
UNB - Craig Perry (hit from behind) 0:22
BC - Ryan Murphy (obstruction-hooking) 3:00
BC - Matt Greene (holding) 5:29
UNB - Kevin Werner (hit from behind) 8:23
UNB - Kevin Young (obstruction - tripping) 9:25
UNB - Craig Mahon (boarding) 10:33
BC - Chris Collins (tripping) 12:16
UNB - Jesse Ferguson (roughing - blow to head) 12:42
UNB - Bart Rushmer (hit from behind) 14:49
BC - Peter Harrold (interference) 15:49
BC - Matt Greene (slashing - 5 min.) 17:13
2nd Period
BC5 Chris Collins (Dan Bertram) 2:49
UNB1 Robert Pearce (Rob Hennigar, Jesse Ferguson) PPG 4:51
BC6 Dan Bertram (Ned Havern, David Spina) PPG 12:01
BC7 Matt Greene (Pat Gannon) 12:21
Penalties
BC - Andrew Alberts (obstruction - interference) 0:08
UNB - Jean Boisvert (high-sticking) 2:02
BC - Peter Harrold (high-sticking) 2:02
BC - John Adams (hooking) 4:46
UNB - Craig Perry (interference) 9:21
UNB - Craig Mahon (obstruction - tripping) 10:50
UNB - Rob Hennigar (holding) 15:48
3rd Period
UNB2 Rob Hennigar (Troy Stonier, Craig Mahon) 2:50
Penalties
BC - Ned Havern (holding) 5:43
UNB - Stacy Smallman (obstruction - interference) 7:11
BC - Matt Greene (high-sticking) 7:24
UNB - Nathan O'Nabigon (tripping) 12:14
BC - Taylor Leahy (hit after whistle) 12:14
UNB - Craig Mahon (hit after whistle) 12:14
UNB - Jesse Ferguson (charging) 18:35
UNB - Jesse Ferguson (slashing) 18:35
BC - Taylor Leahy (charging) 19:17
BC - David Spina (hit after whistle) 19:17
UNB - Craig Perry (hit after whistle) 19:17
3 Stars - None selected
University of New Brunswick (lines not accurate, just listing players):
F ROBERT PEARCE, COLIN SINCLAIR, ROB HENNIGAR
Troy Stonier, William Johnston, Dustin Friesen
Bart Rushmer, Rory McDade, Stacy Smallman
Kyle Werner, Ryan Mockler, Jean Boisvert
Nathan O'Nabigon
D CRAIG PERRY, CRAIG MAHON
Kevin Werner, Jesse Ferguson
Kevin Young
G ANDY LEBLANC, Gene Chiarello, Reg Bourcier
Boston College (lines may not be totally accurate, I didn't note them):
F PAT EAVES, RYAN SHANNON, DAN BERTRAM
Ned Havern, Brian Boyle, David Spina
Chris Collins, Stephen Gionta, Ryan Murphy
Pat Gannon, Taylor Leahy, Matt Greene
D ANDREW ALBERTS, MIKE BRENNAN
John Adams, Brian O'Hanley
Greg Lauze, Peter Harrold
G MATTI KALTIAINEN, Cory Schneider, Robbie Miller
COMMENTS
--------
Boston College opened its season with an exhibition game at BC Saturday
night, with BC winning a decently-played match over the University of New
Brunswick by 7-2. This was UNB's 4th exhibition game (they were 2-1 prior
to this.)
In front of a light crowd (with free admission) of 1324, the Eagles used
superior speed and skill in the first period to open up a lead that the
Varsity Reds could not counter. The game featured plenty of penalties, as
most pre-season exhibitions do, but wasn't particularly chippy and was
played at a fairly high level until fatigue set in for the third period.
The first period started off fairly fast, with BC carrying most of the
play. Pat Eaves had an early slot backhander that was blocked but drew
the first penalty of the night, and BC had decent pressure during the
power play but did not score. UNB had 2 shots shortly after but fired
wide, then couldn't do much on either of 2 successive power plays. To
make things worse, they let Ryan Shannon and Dave Spina poke the puck free
and go the other way on a 2-on-1 shorthanded break. Shannon came to the
slot unmolested, made a quick deke to get the goalie down, and slid around
him to the right and put the puck between the skate and the post for the
first score of the night. As that power play ended, BC got a 4-on-2 rush
and had several chances, with Peter Harrold finally collecting the loose
puck in the high slot and firing it home for a 2-0 BC lead. A silly hit
from behind penalty by UNB gave BC another power play of their own, and it
didn't take long before Steve Gionta was camped to the left of the goal,
took a pass, and fired a low shot between the keeper's skates where it
deflected into the net. New Brunswick took a timeout to settle the team
down and get them focused. Then they went out and took 4 penalties in a
little over 5 minutes! But, helped by a post and a great flashing glove
save by Andy Leblanc, they managed to hold off the Eagles for most of the
time. Finally, though, the pressure wore them down and Pat Eaves scored a
power play marker on a shot similar to Gionta's, through the goalie from a
low angle. More penalties and more special teams play continued through
the rest of the period.
The second period opened with touted freshman goalie Cory Schneider in the
nets for BC, and he had to face an immediate 2 minutes of 5-on-3 UNB power
play for a baptism of fire. A couple of big pad saves on slapshots and
some
help from his defense, though, and nothing was scored. Right after things
evened up, Chris Collins was sent in clear on a 2-on-1 break for the
Eagles,
and he used a nifty move to score the 5th goal. With the goalie waiting
for
the shot, Collins paused to let a defenseman slide across in a blocking
attempt, then, as the dman's body cleared, he touched the puck to the right
and fired a sharp wrister before the goalie could really see the puck.
Pretty move! The Reds finally got on the board on their next power play,
when Robert Pearce tipped a point slap shot right in front of the goal and
it was by Schneider before he could react. BC carried the play for several
minutes after that, then collected another power play goal at 12:01. Some
nifty tic-tac-toe passing fed the puck to frosh Dan Bertram as he sped
across the blue line unmarked, and he sailed in on the goalie from the left
wing. After a quick hesitation move to get the goalie reacting, he stuffed
a shot under the keeper for the 6th BC tally. The Eagles capped their
scoring just 20 seconds later when their 4th line unit popped the puck free
in the UNB zone, and Matt Greene had a clean shot from the low right circle
that zipped past the keeper (this was one I'm sure the goalie thought he
should have had.)
The third period got more ragged as players felt the fatigue of the first
real game, and there was less skating, less aggressiveness on the puck, and
turnovers began to mount. Penalties there were, however, in keeping with
the early season theme. New Brunswick got the only score of the period
early when a BC turnover gave them a 2-on-1 break, and Rob Hennigar fired
the puck as he crashed the crease. The net came off, the Reds were raising
their sticks, but a linesman was waiving the goal off initially. After
consultation with the referee, though, the goal stood. Despite several
power plays, there wasn't a lot of pressure on the goalies, and not a lot
of shots. Things did get a bit physical as players decided it was easier
to run into each other than to dodge, and the referee had to calm things
down at the end after a blatant Taylor Leahy open-ice retaliation hit, but
cooler heads prevailed at the end. BC's third goalie, Robbie Miller, did
make one nice save on a point-blank set up shot for the only real highlight
of the last 10 minutes.
This was a good exhibition for BC, with lots of chances to shoot, some
decent amount of speed and hitting, and plenty of chances to work on
special teams. New Brunswick provided a good opponent, and yet not so
tough that the Eagles couldn't put up a comfortable win. UNB has a young
roster in terms of class ranking, skating 15 freshmen and sophomores out of
their 21, and only 2 seniors. To be fair, though, they have plenty of
experience -- 12 of their players were in the Canadian major junior
leagues, and 9 others played professionally in the ECHL or WCHL leagues.
So this was a fair team. Had they had time to adjust to American hockey a
bit more, and under more similar rules to Canadian hockey, I think this
would have been a tough contest. Rob Hennigar and Rob Pearce, 2 freshmen
from the major juniors, showed good skill and shots, and they've got some
experienced defensemen to back them up.
BC got a chance to see how the freshmen will fit in with their team, and
to work out the off-season kinks. Overall the young players looked pretty
good; if you didn't know who the frosh were, you would have had a hard time
picking them out. Schneider wasn't really tested in goal, so you can't
tell how he will do with more time and exposure. He seemed comfortable in
his crease, and good with the pads. No chance to evaluate his glove work.
Mike Brennan appeared to be a solid defenseman, able to move the puck well,
and Brian O'Hanley was given lots of power play time at the point due to
his puck skills (he didn't really shoot the puck, so I don't know about
that
part of his game.) Matt Greene and Pat Gannon brought lots of energy and
speed to the 4th line, something that Coach York likes in that group, and
Greene showed some offensive ability. But he will have to watch the
penalties, being just a little too much out of control at times. Forward
Dan Bertram, out of Alberta, skates well and showed some offensive ability
(1 goal, 2 assists.) In this game, the forwards showed good defensive
work as well, but we'll have to see how it goes when they face a more
capable opponent.
All in all, this was a satisfying opening win for the Eagles, and provides
some element of optimism for the season. I'm not sure they deserve the
preseason rankings they have gotten with some of the youth on the team,
but there is a solid nucleus, apparently some good young players, and a
strong history to build on. I think they will be competitive in every
game they play, and should fight for the Hockey East title again this year.
The regular season gets under way next week when Denver brings its
defending-national-championship team to Boston for a pair with BC (Friday)
and Northeastern (Saturday.) That should be a tough opening game for the
Eagles. New Brunswick opens their Atlantic University league season next
Friday at home against Universite de Moncton, a team they saw but didn't
play in their opening Fall Classic exhibition tournament.
Rick McAdoo
"Volunteer reporter"
An optimistic BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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