(Box from BC official game summary, with corrections)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at Kelley Rink (Conte Forum), Chestnut Hill, MA
BC 5, NU 2 HOCKEY EAST GAME
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NORTHEASTERN UNIV. (HE) 0 1 1 - 2 (0-1-0 overall, 0-1-0 HE)
BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 0 2 3 - 5 (1-0-0 overall, 1-0-0 HE)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
NU 9- 8- 7-- 24 13 - 26 0 - 7
BC 12-13-12-- 37 10 - 20 1 - 10
NU - Brad Theissen 12-11- 9 - 33 saves/5 goals (60:00)
BC - Cory Schneider 9- 7- 6 - 22 saves/2 goals (60:00)
Referee - Conrad Hache
Assistants - Chris Aughe, Joe Ross
Attendance - 4208
1st Period
No scoring
Penalties
NU Joe Vitale (roughing-contact to head) 6:05
BC Mike Brennan (cross-checking) 8:54
BC Nathan Gerbe (roughing) 11:11
NU Jimmy Russo (roughing) 11:11
NU Louis Liotti (tripping) 11:54
NU Jimmy Russo (slashing) 15:57
NU Brian Deeth (boarding) 18:54
2nd Period
NU1 Dennis McCauley 1 (Steve Sanders) 1:41
BC1 Brian Boyle 1 (Brett Motherwell, Brock Bradford) 14:50
BC2 Brock Bradford 1 (Joe Rooney, Anthony Aiello) 15:30
Penalties
NU Joe Santilli (holding the stick) 3:27
BC Tim Filangieri (roughing - contact to head) 7:12
BC Brett Motherwell (obstruction - holding) 7:32
NU Ray Ortiz (obstruction - holding) 11:01
NU Denis Chisholm (holding) 11:40
BC Brian Boyle (slashing) 11:40
NU Bryan Esner (obstruction - hooking) 15:39
BC Anthony Aiello (interference) 17:53
3rd Period
BC3 Brock Bradford 2 (Dan Bertram, Brian Boyle) 5x3 PPG 3:42
BC4 Brian Boyle 2 (Joe Rooney) SHG 10:28
BC5 Andrew Orpik 1 (Dan Bertram, Brian Boyle) 16:44
NU2 Randy Guzior 1 (Denis Chisholm) 18:13
Penalties
NU Randy Guzior (interference) 2:46
NU Ryan Ginand (hooking) 2:54
BC Mike Brennan (obstruction - interference) 8:23
BC Tim Filangieri (roughing - contact to head) 9:38
NU Dennis McCauley (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:36
BC Carl Sneep (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:36
NU Louis Liotti (obstruction - holding) 14:17
BC Nathan Gerbe (slashing) 18:28
3 Stars - 1. BC - Brian Boyle (2G, 2A)
2. BC - Brock Bradford (2G, 1A)
3. BC - Joe Rooney (2A)
Northeastern University:
F Ryan Ginand, Joe Vitale, Joe Santilli
DENNIS MCCAULEY, MIKE MORRIS, CHAD COSTELLO
Yale Lewis, Jimmy Russo, Randy Guzior
Bryan Esner, Ray Ortiz, Chris Donavan
D STEVE BIRNSTILL, LOUIS LIOTTI
Denis Chisholm, David Strathman
Brian Deeth, Andrew Linard
G BRAD THIESSEN, Adam Geragosian
Boston College:
F DAN BERTRAM, BRIAN BOYLE, ANDREW ORPIK
Matt Greene, Nathan Gerbe, Pat Gannon
Joe Rooney, Benn Ferriero, Brock Bradford
Joe Adams, Ben Smith, Matt Lombardi
D ANTHONY AIELLO, MIKE BRENNAN
Tim Filangieri, Carl Sneep
Brian O'Hanley, Brett Motherwell
G CORY SCHNEIDER, Joe Pearce, Adam Reasoner
(A note on the BC game sheet. Apparently they haven't quite updated the
rosters for the 2 teams. If a freshman was wearing a number assigned to
a player from last year's teams, they were listed with the name of the
player from last year. So Ben Smith was listed as Chris Collins (#12),
Carl Sneep was playing Peter Harrold (#7), Chad Costello was Steve Sanders
(#10), David Strathman was Carter Lee (#17), Chris Donavan was Brian
Swiniarski (#23), Brad Theissen was Dan Snyder (#39), and they listed
Aaron Moore (#21), who didn't play. It's not just the players who are
rusty at the beginning of the season, folks ... )
COMMENTS
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Boston College opened the Hockey East season with a 5-2 victory over the
Northeastern Huskies at Chestnut Hill Tuesday night. Frosh goalkeeper
Brad Thiessen was strong early in the game to keep the Eagles off the board,
and NU scored first in the contest. However, BC struck for 2 quick goals
late in the second and 3 more in the third to put the game away. Brian
Boyle got his senior season off to a great start with a 4-point effort,
and soph Brock Bradford also started well with a 2-goal, 1-assist game.
The BC third goal opened up the game a bit but the nail in Northeastern's
coffin came when Boyle took a lead pass from Joe Rooney and finished off
a shorthanded rush to make the score 4-1 in the third.
The first period was pretty even overall, with BC having the best scoring
chances. Both goalies played well, holding position and blocking everything
thrown their way. Quite a few penalties were called (setting the tone for
the evening) and while there were chances on the power plays, the defenses
had the advantage. For the most part, BC kept NU shots to the outside, and
NU's Theissen came up big when he had to, stopping Joe Rooney twice on clean
breaks to the net late in the frame.
Northeastern opened the second on the penalty kill, but had the best chance
on a Joe Vitale shorthanded bid that was wide. That momentum continued at
even-strength, and Dennis McCauley scored the game's first goal with a
tip-in right in front of Schneider on a nice centering feed from Chad
Costello. McCauley had beaten the BC defense to the front of the net and
made them pay. BC got some energy back on a power play, but the NU defense
did a good job blocking shots out high and no damage was done. The Huskies
then got a 5-on-3 advantage but were able to do nothing with it as the BC
penalty kill started to dominate the action. More penalties both ways kept
the action choppy and neither team could muster much offense, until finally
BC managed to get a hard shot on Thiessen that he couldn't handle. The
rebound popped out to the right side of the crease, and Boyle used his long
reach to push the puck into the open side of the net for a 1-1 tie. Just
40 seconds later BC got the lead for good when Rooney sped up the right
wing and took the puck deep, then fed a nice pass across the face of the
goal where Bradford swatted it through the keeper. The Eagles killed off a
late penalty to hold the lead going to the third, and Thiessen made a big
save on a Benn Ferriero shorthanded bid to keep NU in it.
The third period opened with BC getting pressure early, forcing the NU
defense
to scramble and take penalties. The parade to the penalty box finally came
back to haunt them when Bradford took a pass in the very high slot and fired
a high laser over the goalie's shoulder to make it 3-1 Eagles with a 2-man
advantage. Northeastern had a huge opportunity to get back in the game with
their own 5-on-3, but Schneider made a big save, and Rooney and Boyle led a
shorthanded rush shortly after one of the penalties ended. Rooney pushed
hard long the left-side boards, reached out and slid a soft pass around his
defender and into the slot, where Boyle was ahead of Mike Morris. Boyle
held off the checking attempt and swatted the puck, getting just enough of
it to push it up over the goalie and into the net for the backbreaking
goal. From that point the teams continued to play but the outcome was not
in doubt. BC had more of the chances through most of the remaining period,
with Andrew Orpik getting his first by tipping a Dan Bertram shot on the
left side of the crease.
Frosh Matt Lombardi had 2 late chances but pushed them both wide of the net.
The Huskies closed out the scoring late when a point slapshot missed left,
bounced off the back boards to the right edge of the crease, where Randy
Guzior was waiting to pop it into the open side of the net.
Northeastern got a good effort from frosh keeper Thiessen in his first game,
and they worked hard and had some opportunities. But they couldn't sustain
their energy for the 60 minutes, possibly hurt (again) by taking too many
and untimely penalties. They had problems with this last year, and again
took penalties that were not useful in any way except to help the
opposition. NU started 7 seniors but they weren't able to put any stamp
upon the game. Mike Morris returned from a year off due to injury, and was
decent in the first period, but ineffective after that. It may take him a
while to get used to the 60-minute grind. The Huskies defense is mostly
young, and will have to mature in a hurry to tighten up things in the
back. They probably have better hopes for a decent season than last year,
but coach Cronin will have to have them cut down on the penalties if they
want to challenge for the playoffs.
The Eagles were able to gradually wear down Northeastern with their speed
and
skill advantages, and the second half of the game was dominated by BC. For
half a game, though, there were some doubts about the outcome. BC continues
to show lots of puck movement but little scoring ability on the power play,
a problem they have had for a few years now. But, led by the monster
efforts
of Boyle, they keep coming at you until you give up the chances. BC will
probably have more well-rounded scoring this year than last, and the defense
will again be a strength. If they can reduce the number of penalties (not
requiring so much from Cory Schneider to cover for them) the defense should
be very stingy. If a couple of the forwards develop the scoring touch, in
addition to the ones that already show the talent, they will be a tough
bunch to beat.
The BC freshmen in this game were okay. Ben Smith and Matt Lombardi both
had their moments on the 4th line (Lombardi should have buried his open
chance in the third period,) and big Carl Sneep should develop into a good
defenseman. He is a bit hesitant and unsure of himself with the puck at the
moment, but as he gains experience I think he will be a very good player.
The coaches certainly are willing to put him in responsible positions, which
shows what they think of his talent.
Cory Schneider is one of the best in the country in goal, and nothing in
this
game gave anyone a reason to doubt that. With him backing the defense, I
expect BC will be one of the national leaders in defense and penalty-
killing.
If serious injuries are avoided, this team has a chance to go far in the
playoffs once again.
This victory was coach Jerry York's 750th career win, another milestone in
his long and successful stint behind the bench. He should pick up quite a
few more before he is done. BC next plays an exhibition game, hosting the
US National Under-18 team this Friday (free admission,) before hosting
Bowling Green and Notre Dame next week. Northeastern continues its early
schedule from hell, playing Saturday at Vermont and then at Boston
University
the week after that. Who came up with this schedule? They open with 3 very
tough league road games, get Union at home, then play 2 at Michigan, 1 at
UNH, one at home with UNH, then 2 more on the road with UMass and
Providence.
That's 8 away, 2 home, with 7 or 8 of those games against teams in the top
15. That's a tough schedule for anyone, let alone a team coming off a 3-24-
7 season. Their reward for ending that stretch is 2 home games -- against
BC and UNH. Sheesh ... If they survive with their spirit intact, they may
have a basis for a good season. If they can't get through that stretch
alive, it may be another long season in Matthews Arena.
Rick McAdoo
"Volunteer reporter"
An enthusiastic BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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