Saturday, February 28, 1998 at Kelley Rink (Conte Forum), Chestnut Hill, MA
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UMASS-LOWELL 1 2 0 - 3 (10-10-3 HE, 13-15-3 overall)
BOSTON COLLEGE 2 1 4 - 7 (14-5-3 HE, 21-8-4 overall)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
UML 10- 8- 6 -- 24 12 - 24 2 - 3
BC 14-14-13 -- 41 7 - 14 3 - 8
UML- Martin Fillion 12-13- 7 - 32 saves/7 goals (53:08)
Scott Fankhouser x- x- 2 - 2 saves/0 goals ( 6:52)
BC - Scott Clemmensen 9- 6- 6 - 21 saves/3 goals (60:00)
Full box posted to INFO-HOCKEY-L list.
COMMENTS
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It was Senior Night at BC (the last regular season home game) but the night
belonged to freshman Brian Gionta, who had 4 goals and an assist to lead
Boston College to a 7-3 victory Saturday night. Linemate and captain
Marty Reasoner also had 5 points from a goal and 4 assists. They were the
number one and two stars of the game. BC had clinched home ice for the
first round of the Hockey East playoffs with Friday night's 5-4 win at
Lowell, and moved into sole possession of 2nd place in the league due to
Northeastern's sweep of UNH this weekend. UML is now out of the running
for home ice in the playoffs and is jockeying for playoff position only.
The weekend featured a lot of goals on special teams, with 4 power play
goals on Friday night and 5 PPG's and a shorthanded goal on Saturday.
The difference both nights was strong BC play in the third period -- 2
goals in the first 1:03 of the third Friday night and 3 goals in 2:49
early in the third period Saturday night (on route to 4 unanswered goals.)
The two BC seniors were honored before the game -- Jamie O'Leary and Ken
Hemenway. O'Leary set up the first goal of the game by feeding a pass out
from behind the UML net to an unmarked Tony Hutchins in front of the net.
Hutchins lifted it over Fillion's glove on the right side, at 8:59. The
RiverHawks got it right back on a power play when a rebound shot was
deflected back to Chris Bell in the right circle and his low shot scored
at 10:00, just as the buzzer was sounding for the mid-period change of
ends (BC's rink has an asymmetric bench layout and some coaches request
the switch of ends as allowed by rule.) Lowell was able to kill a 5-on-3
shortly thereafter, highlighted by Fillion reaching back to stop a puck
from trickling over the goal line. Gionta got his first of the night at
15:33 after Powers and Reasoner got the puck free with deep forechecking.
He wheeled out of the right corner, lost his checker with a Reasoner pick,
and moved to the front of the net, scoring a low backhand back to the near
post as Fillion moved off the post.
The second period featured a lot of up-and-down action with close checking,
though BC carried more of the play. There were only 3 penalties in the
period, but they played a role in all 3 goals. BC had an early chance at
a shorthanded goal but Fillion came up big on the save. UML evened the
game at 2 just a minute later on the same advantage when Brad Rooney
deflected a left point shot over Clemmensen from just outside the crease.
Lowell got their only lead of the game with a shorthanded goal midway in
the period. BC lost the puck at the UML blue line, and Jeff Boulanger
found a breaking Chris Bell down the right side. He sped past the diving
defenseman and lifted a flip shot over a sprawling Clemmensen. (Bell's
2 goals on the night netted him 3rd star honors.) BC answered a few
minutes later on another power play. Gionta created the penalty as he
flew down the right boards and forced Cappelletti to trip him. He then
ended up scoring his 2nd goal of the night during a mad scramble in front
of the goal, whacking a third rebound attempt that popped up in the air
and looped over Fillion's shoulder and into the net. BC carried most of
the play late in the period but it ended 3-3. Still, it foretold what
was about to happen in the third period.
The third started fairly evenly, but BC's star Reasoner created the game-
winning goal with a crafty steal of the puck just as a UML player was
about to leave his zone for an odd-man rush. Reasoner wheeled back, still
inside the zone, and slid a pass to the undefended slot where Gionta tipped
it high for the goal (and his hat trick.) Gionta's magic night wasn't over
yet, though. Less than two minutes later he was set loose on a beautiful
cross-ice pass by Mike Mottau on a power play, and he cruised in alone
to flip a high backhander for his 4th goal. Lowell's Mike Nicholishen
compounded the RiverHawks' problems by taking a frustration slashing
penalty after the goal, giving BC another power play. The Eagles
capitalized at 6:46 on a pretty passing play. Mottau and Bobby Allen
traded passes at the points, then Mottau slid the puck through to the low
right circle, where Reasoner hammered a high angled shot into the net.
UMass-Lowell was fairly demoralized at this point, unable to develop much
offense on a subsequent power play. BC took advantage by scoring their
7th and final goal at 13:08. Reasoner again fed Gionta, and he carried it
into the UML zone on the right side, only to send a pass back to the left
to an unmarked and breaking Jeff Farkas. He slid across the front of the
net and flipped a backhand past Fillion. Coach Whitehead took a timeout
at this point and changed his goaltenders, but the damage had been done.
The rest of the game featured some chippiness and some penalties, but
no further scoring.
Lowell, not a bad team, was able to stay with the Eagles in both games
this weekend through 2 periods. It was their inability to contain an
explosive BC offense in the third that cost them both nights, along with
surrendering too many power plays to a team that capitalizes well on
their man advantages. Saturday's game particularly showed how BC's
speed and offensive pressure can wear a team down and make them extra
vulnerable to quick breakouts. The RiverHawks, like many teams this
season, found themselves particularly frustrated trying to stop Brian
Gionta. The speedy freshman constantly found his way free down the
wings or planting himself in front of the net, and several of the UML
penalties on both nights were direct results of attempts to slow him
down or frustration/retaliation penalties after he zipped around them.
Marty Reasoner has also seen his production increasing late in the season,
partly due to his own efforts and partly due to the havoc that Gionta and
his other teammates have been causing. BC fans were also happy to see
the return this weekend of freshman defenseman Marty Hughes, though he
is still not at 100% following an injury to his ankle several weeks ago.
With more game time, though, he should regain his form and help the team
in the playoffs.
UML has one game remaining, hosting a suddenly-slumping New Hampshire
team next Saturday March 7. The BC Eagles have two remaining road games.
The first is a Wednesday March 4 rescheduled game at UMass-Amherst. This
could be difficult for BC, as UMA is fighting for the last Hockey East
playoff slot and should be highly motivated. BC's last game is at
Northeastern on Saturday March 7. This game could have significance in
how the final HE standings turn out, depending on what happens in other
games.
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Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask]
"Volunteer reporter" An excited BC fan. GO EAGLES!
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to
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