(Box from BC game summary sheet)
Friday, January 9, 2004 at Kelley Rink (Conte Forum), Chestnut Hill, MA
BC 4, MC 0 HOCKEY EAST GAME
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MERRIMACK COLLEGE (HE) 0 0 0 - 0 (7-11-3 overall, 2-8-3 HE)
BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 2 0 2 - 4 (14-3-3 overall, 7-1-2 HE)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
MC 2- 6- 6 -- 14 9 - 18 0 - 6
BC 15-10-16 -- 41 8 - 16 0 - 7
MC - Casey Guenther 13-10-14 - 37 saves/4 goals (60:00)
BC - Matti Kaltiainen 2- 6- 6 - 14 saves/0 goals (60:00)
Referee - John Gravellese
Assistants - Tom Quinn, Chris Federico
Attendance - 6038
1st Period
BC1 Justin Dziama 1 (Peter Harrold) 4:37 GWG
BC2 Ben Eaves 6 (Pat Eaves) SHG 8:31
Penalties
BC - Ty Hennes (hit from behind) 2:32
BC - Andrew Alberts (interference) 8:23
BC - Chris Collins (unsportsmanlike conduct) 14:06
MC - Brendon Clark (roughing - contact to head) 14:06
MC - Brendon Clark (roughing - contact to head) 19:07
2nd Period
No scoring
Penalties
BC - Ryan Murphy (charging) 1:51
MC - bench minor (too many men -served by David Breen) 4:37
MC - Rob LaLonde (interference) 8:59
BC - Justin Dziama (roughing) 12:53
MC - Tim Reidy (interference) 13:21
MC - Mike Alexiou (tripping) 16:52
3rd Period
BC3 Tony Voce 16 (Ty Hennes, Peter Harrold) SHG 4:05
BC4 Adam Pineault 2 (Brian Boyle, Justin Dziama) 11:11
Penalties
BC - Ryan Murphy (charging) 2:12
MC - Matt Byrnes (holding) 5:14
BC - Pat Eaves (interference) 7:04
MC - Rob LaLonde (cross-checking) 19:52
BC - Adam Pineault (hit after whistle) 19:52
MC - Ryan Sullivan (hit after whistle) 19:52
3 Stars - 1. BC - Justin Dziama (1G, 1A)
2. BC - Ben Eaves (1G)
3. BC - Matti Kaltiainen (14 saves, 0 goals)
Merrimack College:
F BRENT GOUGH, MARCO ROSA, TONY JOHNSON
Tim Reidy, Steve Crusco, Nick Pomponio
Justin Mills, Brendon Clark, Matt Byrnes
Mike Alexiou, David Breen, Jordan Black
D ERIC PEDERSEN, BRYAN SCHMIDT
Rob LaLonde, Peter Hams
Jeff Caron, Ryan Sullivan
G CASEY GUENTHER, Jim Healey
Boston College:
F TONY VOCE, BEN EAVES, PAT EAVES
Chris Collins, Ryan Shannon, Stephen Gionta
Ned Havern, Ty Hennes, Ryan Murphy
Adam Pineault, Brian Boyle, Justin Dziama
D ANDREW ALBERTS, J.D. FORREST
John Adams, Peter Harrold
Greg Lauze, Brett Peterson
G MATTI KALTIAINEN, Joe Pearce, Robbie Miller
COMMENTS
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Boston College got back on the winning track with a 4-0 victory over
visiting Merrimack Friday night. The Eagles defense was the key, limiting
the Warriors shots to 14 (with few dangerous) and scoring 2 shorthanded
goals to clinch the win. Senior Justin Dziama was number one star with
a breakaway goal and an assist, and there was strong play throughout the
BC lineup. Matti Kaltiainen got his first shutout of the season but was
rarely tested in the game.
Both teams were coming off losses in their previous games, but BC was the
one who appeared motivated to play in this one, with most of the edge
clearly on the Eagles' side. Merrimack had an early chance in the first
period on a 2-on-1, but fired the shot wide -- it was that kind of night
for them. BC easily killed off their first penalty of the night, and as
the power play was ending, Peter Harrold flipped the puck ahead to the
neutral zone for Dziama. He skated down the slot, splitting the defense,
and flipped a backhander that trickled off goalie Casey Guenther and in
for the first goal. BC continued the pressure with forechecking but fired
one wide, then Merrimack's Marco Rosa did a nice job to work free in the
right circle but also fired his spinning shot wide of the net. BC took
another penalty and scored their first shorthanded goal. The Eaves
brothers worked the puck free and took off on a 2-on-1 break; Pat held
the puck, then fed it across to the left side where it bounced off Ben's
skate and forward, and just as he passed the crease he swatted it in past
the out-of-position goalie. The rest of the period was mostly BC
possession and domination, especially on power plays, but Guenther was
up to the task and kept the score 2-0. The Warriors' Peter Hams went out
with a leg injury after a crunching hit from Adam Pineault, forcing the
team to play with a depleted defensive corps.
The second period featured a lot of power plays both ways as teams traded
penalties, though BC carried the play and may have even outshot Merrimack
while shorthanded. Both teams had some open shots but mostly the goalies
had easy saves or had help from their defense to clear rebounds. Late in
the period there was a flurry in front of the MC goal and the puck popped
into the net but it was ruled to have been knocked in with the body and
did not count.
BC started the third period with lots of attacking pressure, with Chris
Collins ticking a shot off the top of the crossbar and Ryan Murphy
crashing the net looking to tip a centering pass. Murphy missed the puck
but not the goalie and got called for a charging penalty, but again it
was the BC penalty-killers who were the offensive force on the special
team. The puck was worked free and out of the BC zone for Tony Voce
to collect and break down the right side. He faked a move to the slot,
freezing the defenseman, and then swooped low through the right circle
and flipped a backhand shot at Guenther's pads. He was off-balance and
the puck trickled through his legs and into the goal just before he slid
into the goal himself. Either way it would have been a goal. That score
effectively ended the suspense of who would win the game, as Merrimack
did not have the energy or attitude to come back. Steve Crusco did his
best to score shorthanded for the Warriors, but Andrew Alberts got back
and bothered him enough to force the shot wide. Midway through the period
BC got their final goal with a pass to Brian Boyle at the Merrimack blue
line. He tipped it forward as he was being checked and Pineault collected
it and skated hard toward the net on the left side. He fought off a
defender and fired a wrist shot to the far side for the score. Things were
a bit chippy the rest of the way as frustration bothered Merrimack; it
was made worse when Guenther got run over full force by his own defender
and had his bell rung a bit, but he got up and continued okay.
Merrimack did not skate well enough in this game to be competitive, getting
almost no good offensive opportunities. Worse, when they had man-advantage
situations, they were outplayed by the BC penalty killers and gave up 2
shorthanded goals and a third that was effectively a shorthanded goal as
the power play ended. They weren't good enough at keeping the puck in the
zone at the point and didn't rotate back fast enough to provide defensive
cover after the turnovers. Coach Serino was unhappy with his team's effort
in their prior loss to Maine, and this game was probably even worse. They
are playing without a few good players, but the effort that needs to be
there to win as an underdog hasn't been forthcoming, apparently.
Boston College, after going 12 games undefeated and then getting shut out
at Northeastern last week, showed their defensive strength in this game.
This team is more defensive than offensive in a lot of ways. The small
forwards carry the puck well and cycle well, but the snipers to turn that
into high-scoring offense haven't always produced. But the defense is
there most nights, and that keeps them in games. They have learned to
be patient and take what the game gives them in some ways, and rely on
forechecking and defensive pressure to turn the puck over to generate
offense. The penalty killing units continue to shine, 2nd in the nation
in PK percentage and now having scored as many shorthanded goals as they
have given up to the other teams' power plays (8). If they can find a
way to increase the productiveness on the power play (not that it is bad
now) they can up their offensive output to match the defensive success.
It will be a tough stretch through the rest of the Hockey East season but
BC should be highly competitive for all the games to come. BC does not
play again until a home-and-home next weekend against Boston University.
Merrimack also is off until next weekend when they play 2 with UMass-Lowell.
Rick McAdoo
"Volunteer reporter"
A content BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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