(Box from my notes/Hockey East online box)
Tuesday, January 16, 2001 at Volpe Center (North Andover, MA)
MC 6, BC 3 HOCKEY EAST GAME
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BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 1 2 0 - 3 (15-6-1 overall, 8-3-1 HE)
MERRIMACK COLLEGE (HE) 1 2 3 - 6 (11-12-2 overall, 4-8-1 HE)
Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play
BC 10- 9-15 -- 34 10 - 28 0 - 4
MC 6-11- 9 -- 26 7 - 22 2 - 7
BC - Scott Clemmensen 5- 9- 6 - 20 saves/6 goals (60:00)
MC - Joe Exter 9- 7-15 - 31 saves/3 goals (60:00)
Referee - Scott Hansen
Assistants - Bob Bernard, Kevin Shea
Attendance - 2649
1st Period
MC1 Marco Rosa 3 (Aquino, Parillo) 3:45
BC1 J.D. Forrest 5 (Dolinar, Orpik) SHG 16:55
Penalties
BC - Allen (obstruction - interference) 1:39
MC - Moon (elbowing) 4:58
BC - Peterson (obstruction - holding) 13:36
BC - Lephart (slashing) 15:13
BC - Eaves (hit from behind) 19:25
2nd Period
MC2 Vince Clevenger 4 (Kiley) 2:27
BC2 Mark McLennan 3 (Dziama, Hennes) 3:29
MC3 Nick Parillo 11 (Rosa, Aquino) PPG 12:15
BC3 Chuck Kobasew 13 (Dolinar, Forrest) 17:48
Penalties
MC - Smith (obstruction - hooking) 5:41
BC - Orpik (misconduct - 10 min.) 12:03
BC - Orpik (roughing - 4 min.) 12:03
served by Dziama
MC - Mongeau (roughing) 12:03
MC - Mongeau (misconduct - 10 min.) 12:03
BC - Scuderi (roughing) 14:56
MC - Parillo (roughing) 14:56
3rd Period
MC4 Nick Parillo 12 (Aquino, Rosa) 3:40 GWG
MC5 John Pyliotis 4 (unassisted) 16:33
MC6 Anthony Aquino 11 (Rosa) 5x3 17:14
BC Timeout 17:14
Penalties
MC - Mongeau (high-sticking) 9:44
BC - Orpik (slashing) 16:53
BC - Scuderi (hit from behind) 17:08
MC - Parillo (roughing) 19:54
3 Stars - 1. MC - Nick Parillo (2G, 1A)
2. MC - Anthony Aquino (1G, 3A)
3. MC - Marco Rosa (1G, 3A)
Merrimack College:
F JOHN PYLIOTIS, RON MONGEAU, JOE GRAY
Nick Parillo, Marco Rosa, Anthony Aquino
Alex Sikachev, Ryan Kiley, Vince Clevenger
Tim Reidy, Lucas Smith, Lou Eyster
D STEPHEN MOON, TONY JOHNSON
Eric Pederson, Tim Foster
Jeff State, Greg Lauze
G JOE EXTER, Tom Welby, Jason Wolfe
Boston College:
F JEFF GIULIANO, KRYS KOLANOS, CHUCK KOBASEW
Tony Voce, Ben Eaves, Brian Gionta
Marty Hughes, Ales Dolinar, Mike Lephart
Justin Dziama, Ty Hennes, Mark McLennan
D BROOKS ORPIK, BILL CASS
J. D. Forrest, Bobby Allen
Brett Peterson, Rob Scuderi
G SCOTT CLEMMENSEN, Tom Egan
COMMENTS
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Merrimack played a solid game and defeated Boston College Tuesday night to
repay the Eagles for 2 earlier shellackings this year. Strong defensive
play and quick offensive movement, aided by what must be said was a very
poor BC effort, led to 3 third-period goals to win this one going away at
the end. The top line of Nick Parillo, Anthony Aquino, and Marco Rosa
got all 3 stars with a high-scoring night, backed by adequate goalkeeping
by Joe Exter. BC was not near the top of their game, making uncharacteristic
mistakes and allowing the Warriors to be the aggressors in the game.
The tone was set early in this one with BC taking 4 penalties in the first
period due to defensive mistakes and bad positioning. They survived the
first power play but just after it ended Rosa came clear on the left side
and fired a sharp shot from the left circle past Scott Clemmensen. The BC
netminder had an off night after playing so well against Lowell last Friday.
BC had their own chances on one power play but was unable to get the puck
past Exter. Merrimack allowed BC to move some in this period, trying to
use quick counterattacks after the defense dispossessed the Eagles in deep.
Exter scrambled to cover a loose puck in the crease at one point but it
didn't cross the goal line, then BC had to kill a 5-on-3 later in the
period. After one man returned, the Eagles evened the game on a quick
breakout shorthanded. Ales Dolinar led a 2-on-1 down the left side, held
the puck, and fed it back to a driving J.D. Forrest, whose one-timer from
the slot got past a sliding goalie. Merrimack put some late pressure on,
missing wide on a rebound and unable to convert a 2-on-1 chance when a
defender fell, but they did draw a penalty on BC at the end.
The second period began with BC killing the power play well, then had some
chances of their own, with Brian Gionta and Mike Lephart shots being saved.
BC defenseman Bill Cass tried to pinch in a the blue line after that, and
allowed the Warriors to go the other way on a 2-on-1 break. Ryan Kiley's
slapper from the left circle tipped off Clemmensen's glove and dropped at
the edge of the crease, where Vince Clevenger popped it into the open net
to give Merrimack a 2-1 lead. (Maybe a shot that a goalie normally holds
on to?) BC got it right back at 3:29 off work by their 4th line, as
Justin Dziama got the puck in the zone at the right side and left it for
linemate Mark McLennan. Dziama went toward the net, drawing off the d-man
and providing a distraction as McLennan fired a hard shot from the right
circle. It banged in high off the near-side post for the tying goal.
Both teams traded opportunities after that, with the BC defense giving the
puck away twice in their own zone for quick Warrior shots, then going the
other way on a 2-on-1 break and forcing a Merrimack penalty. The PK came
up big, though, with BC getting no shots at all. The Merrimack defense
started to really come on at this point, playing physically and not letting
the BC forwards have a lot of room to work, unlike their previous meetings.
The Warriors picked up the pace by the midpoint of the period, and things
got heated at 10:10. Clemmensen was behind the net to handle the puck and
a MC forward was skating in on him. BC defenseman Brooks Orpik ran into
him (colliding with the goaltender in the process) and the 2 players got
into a hard wrestling match. Both got roughings and 10-minute misconducts
and the extra penalty gave Merrimack a power play. Off the ensuing faceoff,
BC missed the coverage and allowed Nick Parillo to skate in clear from the
outside of the right circle. He moved to the front of the net, waiting for
the goalie to commit, and lifted it high for the score. BC continued to
play like they were in a fog, turning the puck over and letting MC drive
to the goal. One scramble put the puck in the net but it was ruled the
net had come loose from a diving forward before it crossed the line.
Matching roughings at 14:56 led to a 4-on-4, normally to BC's advantage,
but Merrimack had better chances, with Aquino and Clevenger coming close.
The faster play may have got the Eagles moving, though, as they tied the
game for a third time at 17:48. Forrest sent a long break pass to Dolinar
at the edge of the Merrimack zone for a 3-on-2 chance. He took the
puck deep and passed back to Chuck Kobasew at the left circle, and his
hard shot scored far side. BC skated hard the rest of the period and
had several chances, the best a Gionta laser that missed the upper corner.
It looked like BC had finally woken up late in the second period, and we
expected they would play well in the third, as is their normal pattern. It
was not to happen. BC worked hard and had a couple of early chances, but
some soft forward play cost them. Krys Kolanos carried the puck over the
blue line and dropped it, then stood up casually just in time to have
Steve Moon slam him over the boards and into the Merrimack bench. As all
were watching that (including the BC defense), Merrimack sped the other
way with the puck. Parillo got the puck with speed down the right side,
passed a sleeping defenseman, and was in clean (again). He came from
the right circle to the crease, again waiting for Clemmensen to move, and
lifted another shot over his sliding reach. The Warriors were excited to
have the lead again, and worked hard to limit BC chances. The Eagles
finally got some opportunities with a power play midway through the period,
and put substantial pressure on the goal. Exter played well for the most
part, and Kolanos fired a 1-timer over the net after a great setup in the
slot. Merrimack settled down after that, with strong forechecking bottling
BC up in their zone much of the time or limiting their offensive rushes
through neutral ice. Another soft play by Kolanos led to the backbreaking
5th goal. As the BC defense fought off forecheckers deep in the zone,
he took control of the puck and lazily drifted forward instead of skating
hard with the puck. John Pyliotis came from behind, took the puck right
off his stick, and wheeled immediately in the right circle. He let loose
a rocket that slammed in just inside the left post to make it 5-3 at 16:33.
The Eagles were frustrated and it showed with a couple of late penalties
to give a 5-on-3, and Aquino made them pay almost immediately on a clean
break with a sharp wrist shot that slid through the 5-hole. Coach York
took a timeout for BC to let his team know what he thought of their effort
(not good). Things ended quietly for the Eagles, and joyously for the
Warriors and their fans.
One of the things I've mentioned during this year is how BC has been more
consistent, in every game they play, etc. Eventually that has to end, with
the team having a bad night, and this was the night. Merrimack played well,
and worked hard (harder than BC, certainly.) But the Eagles made plenty
of mistakes that were not the result of Merrimack skating or checking, just
not making good plays of their own. The talent level differential in the
2 rosters showed in the fact that BC played badly and yet was still in the
game midway through the third period. A break or two, or a good play or
two, and it might have been another tie. But it was Merrimack's night to
shine, as they stepped it up in the third period when BC could not.
Unlike the first 2 times these teams met, the Merrimack defense showed up
and played well all game. They worked hard and used their size and
physicalness to force the Eagles to the outside, limiting the clean shots
in front or on rebounds, and by and large did the job. Because the defense
covered well, they were able to convert to offense much more effectively,
and MC has some fleet forwards who can score if given the chance. Tonight
they were given odd-man breaks and BC giveaways, and took advantage. All
4 lines did a good job, and the forecheck/backcheck efforts and clogging of
the neutral zone slowed down BC. Usually when the underdog beats the top
dog, it is relying on a spectacular effort by the keeper or something. That
wasn't needed in this case (Exter was solid, but nothing eye-catching.)
BC, on the other hand, needed a lot better effort from a lot of people in
this one. Clemmensen, after I praised him in the last game, was in a fog
all night. He would catch a puck and drop it right in the crease, or miss
it with his glove, or move slowly when positioning, etc. Maybe he was just
due for a bad night. But he had his when half of his teammates had theirs
as well. The rollcall of BC players who did well is a short one. Forrest
was their best player, Giuliano, Dolinar, and McLennan did fine, and a few
others did okay (but only okay.) Bill Cass had some rough moments, Rob
Scuderi had a rare bad game, and Orpik had another "some great, mostly
okay, but some really horrid" play nights. Combine that with some dumb
penalties, too. The number one black hole for the night was Mr. Kolanos,
who didn't seem to get the fact that he had to play hard for 60 minutes.
His giveaways led to both the Merrimack 4th and 5th goals, and he didn't
do enough on offense to make up for that fact. He knows he can play much
better, and if he wants to be a leader and be deserving of his high draft
position, he has to learn to show up every night. Gionta and Lephart worked
hard, and both had some chances tonight, but they remain a bit snakebit
lately.
Sometimes the lower-ranked team plays well, and beats the higher-ranked
team, especially on home ice. With motivation for revenge after the earlier
losses to BC, and coming off a tough road tie with New Hampshire, the
Warriors were willing to play hard and fight for a win. The Eagles weren't,
for whatever reason. With backup goaltender Kelleher out with mononucleosis,
BC is hoping that Clemmensen returns to his good form this weekend, with
2 tough games against Providence College, who is breathing down BC's neck
in the Hockey East race. Merrimack can enjoy this one, but has a home-and-
home with UMass-Amherst this weekend and can't afford to let down now that
they are playing a "more equal" opponent.
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Rick McAdoo [log in to unmask]
"Volunteer reporter" A pleased BC fan. GO EAGLES!
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