[Yes, this is very late. Despite the long weekend for the MLK holiday. On the other hand, hardly anyone else is writing up game summaries any more, are they? I know at least 3 people who will read this despite its lateness, so I guess they will appreciate it ...] (Box from online sources, along with my notes from TV broadcast) Saturday, January 17, 2004 at Walter Brown Arena, Boston, MA BC 3, BU 2 HOCKEY EAST GAME ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 1 1 1 - 3 (16-3-3 overall, 9-1-2 HE) BOSTON UNIVERSITY (HE) 0 1 1 - 2 (6-8-6 overall, 3-7-2 HE) Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play BC 8-10- 7 -- 25 12 - 24 1 - 6 BU 14-10- 7 -- 31 10 - 20 1 - 8 BC - Matti Kaltiainen 14- 9- 6 - 29 saves/2 goals (60:00) BU - Stephan Siwiec 7- 9- 6 - 22 saves/3 goals (58:43) Referee - Tim Benedetto Assistants - Joe Ross, Tim Low Attendance - 3806 (sellout) 1st Period BC1 J.D. Forrest 3 (Pat Eaves, Andrew Alberts) PPG 8:46 Penalties BU - Jekabs Redlihs (holding) 1:14 BC - Peter Harrold (obstruction - tripping) 5:26 BU - Dan Spang (high sticking) 8:29 BC - Patrick Eaves (holding) 11:25 BC - Peter Harrold (cross-checking) 12:45 BU - John Laliberte (hit after whistle) 15:44 BC - Brian Boyle (hit after whistle) 15:44 BC - Chris Collins (slashing) 16:03 BU - John Laliberte (obstruction-interference) 19:56 BC - Andrew Alberts (roughing) 20:00 BU - David Van der Gulik (roughing) 20:00 2nd Period BC2 Stephen Gionta 7 (unassisted) 7:30 BU1 David Van der Gulik 6 (Ryan Whitney, Brian McConnell) PPG 16:30 Penalties BC - J.D. Forrest (roughing) 0:56 BU - Brad Zancanaro (roughing) 0:56 BC - Chris Collins (interference) 10:19 BC - Tony Voce (cross-checking) 15:26 BC - Ryan Shannon (roughing) 17:03 BU - David Van der Gulik (roughing) 17:03 BC - Andrew Alberts (boarding) 19:04 3rd Period BC3 Ryan Murphy 4 (Greg Lauze, Ty Hennes) 7:15 GWG BU2 Mark Mullen 6 (Kevin Schaeffer, David Klema) 13:40 BC Timeout 18:32 Penalties BU - Mark Mullen (cross-checking) 5:02 BC - J.D. Forrest (cross-checking) 7:39 BU - David Van der Gulik (high-sticking) 8:59 BU - Jekabs Redlihs (tripping) 14:35 3 Stars - 1. BC - Matti Kaltiainen (29 saves, 2 goals) 2. BC - J.D. Forrest (1G) 3. BU - David Van der Gulik (1G) Boston College F JOE ROONEY, TONY VOCE, 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 Boston University: F KENNY MAGOWAN, MARK MULLEN, FRANTISEK SKLADANY David Van der Gulik, Brian McConnell, Bryan Miller Kenny Roche, David Klema, John Laliberte Eric Thomassian, Brad Zancanaro, Matt Radoslovich D RYAN WHITNEY, KEVIN SCHAEFFER Sean Sullivan, Jekabs Redlihs Tom Morrow, Dan Spang G STEPHAN SIWIEC, Sean Fields, John Curry COMMENTS -------- Boston College swept the weekend series with Boston University with a hard-fought 3-2 win Saturday night at BU. The game was the tale of the goaltenders, with BC's Matti Kaltiainen having a stellar night under strong pressure and BU's Stephan Siwiec being responsible for 2 soft goals that spelled the difference for his club. BU played physically and effectively, becoming the first team to outshoot the Eagles in a game this season, but were stymied by Kaltiainen's good positioning and few rebounds left by the BC defense. The game was broadcast locally by Fox Sports Net New England (which is how I saw the game.) BC opened with some quick shots as BU noticeably was working harder at playing physically and finishing their checks, trying to slow down the quicker Eagle players. BC was again playing without leading playmaker and scorer Ben Eaves, out with injury. BC had an ineffective power play, and BU started to pick up their offense with a stuff attempt and crashing the crease looking for a rebound. BU got their own power play and had one good chance in front but John Laliberte's shot was gloved by the BC keeper. BC opened the scoring on another power play when Pat Eaves wound up for a big slap shot out high, and the rebound came away to the right of the crease. J.D. Forrest was pinching in from the point and was able to swipe the loose puck into the open right side before Siwiec could recover. BU got their chance to respond when they had a 5-on-3 man advantage in the middle of the frame, but Kaltiainen played strongly to thwart the Terriers, particularly on a leg save of a Kevin Schaeffer point shot. Things continued physical after that, and BU had another late power play (4-on-3.) BC was effective on the kill, then Pat Eaves went down to block a wing slap shot and was struck high in the chest/throat area and went down injured. He left the ice and the game, getting examined and treated at a local hospital for a big cut and possible damage to his chest. (Later news indicates that he is not seriously injured, though it is not clear when he will return to action.) BU again couldn't penetrate the solid wall that Kaltiainen provided in goal, and after Siwiec saved a Chris Collins breakaway attempt the period ended at 1-0, BC. BC opened the second period on a power play but didn't do much with it, and BU cranked up the pressure after that, peppering the BC goal with good shots. I think it was Frantisek Skladany who was in for a clean shot on goal but it was kicked to the netting for a big save to hold the BC lead. Just a few minutes later it was an innocent looking play that gave BC a second score. BU turned the puck over in the neutral zone and Stephen Gionta skated it into the BU zone down the right side. With no one to pass to he fired a low, hard shot just inside the near post, where Siwiec was down blocking the ice. But the goalie was too far inside the goal and couldn't get his leg pad angled properly, and the shot deflected off his leg and into the net for the score. Not a strong play by the BU keeper. The Terriers thought they had answered that one just a few seconds later on a sweet move by Kenny Roche, who swept out from behind the red line to the slot and fired one into the goal, only to have it (correctly) disallowed for a man in the crease bothering the BC netminder. Things went back and forth after that, with BU getting most of the possession and chances. Siwiec did have to make one good poke check save on a Gionta cut to the front of the net, but it was BC's defense that had to do most of the work. Finally, on yet another BU power play, the Terriers broke through. A high shot from the left side was gloved by Kaltiainen but David Van der Gulik was skating across the face of the crease and dislodged the puck with body contact. The puck dropped down where Van der Gulik was able to swat it into the open net before anyone could block it. Both defenses did the job the rest of the period and it was 2-1 BC going to the third. It was noted later in the third period that BU's Kenny Magowan got hurt somehow in the middle period and did not play the rest of the game. The action started with a continuing BU power play and Kaltiainen came up with the save of the night to stone Mullen (I think) at the left side. A BU forward took the puck deep down the right side and fired a bullet crossing pass in front of the net to a wide-open Mullen for the quick 1-timer (into what he thought would be an open net.) Matti, who is a big keeper, somehow made a cat-like move across and flashed his leg pad for a great block. Both teams worked hard in the next few minutes, and each goalie had to make his share of saves or had shots go wide. Mullen had a tip right in front on another nice setup from a teammate but was unlucky to have it sail wide. BC missed their chance when Tony Voce was wide on a point-blank shot on a power play. BU killed that situation but right after that BC forced the play deep and shot it wide of the net. Ryan Murphy chased it down and threw the puck at the crease from behind the goal line, and it deflected off Siwiec's leg pads and into the goal for a 3-1 Eagles lead. Bad goaltending turned out to be BU's Achilles' heel for the weekend (or at least inconsistent goaltending.) After tight checking for a few minutes, BU finally got within one when a shot sailed wide of the net but bounced out to the left side and came to Mullen, who potted it into the open net before Kaltiainen could get in position. BU tried to put on the pressure to equalize, but for the remaining 6 minutes it was the BC defense who was dominant (helped by a BU penalty.) The Terriers didn't really get a decent shot the rest of the way, even after pulling the goalie, and the Eagles celebrated a 4-point weekend. Plenty of others have noted that this was a lost opportunity for BU, catching BC minus their top player and outplaying the Eagles for more than half of the weekend. But it was a gritty performance by BC, sparked by great goaltending by Matti K over the 120 minutes. Very solid, very consistent, and he was only beat by rebounds and tips in front, never on a clean shot that he could see. With a solid defense in front of him, that is a formula for few goals against. They will probably continue to need strong performances by the defense and goalkeepers, though, as the forward corps is suffering from accumulating injuries and knocks, and their productivity has been less than expected. It could be that the long season is starting to wear on the smaller bodies, or it could be that they miss Ben Eaves' playmaking just that much. Either way, it seems likely that having both Eaves' brothers in the lineup is probably a requirement for BC if they want to get to the Frozen Four in their backyard this year. Boston University showed a lot of promise in Saturday's game, playing strongly and getting 60 minutes from most of their forwards (something that has been lacking this year.) With just a decent goaltending performance they should have gotten a 2-1 win in that game. The continuing inconsistency of this team is hard to explain, but at this point in the season it is indisputable that they are just an average Hockey East team overall. They are capable of beating anyone at any time -- but have rarely done so this year, unlike many years in the past. Faced with another powerhouse defensive team in Maine this coming weekend for another 2 games, they will need their goaltenders to answer the bell. I won't be surprised if BU takes one, but I would be surprised if they could win 2 over Maine the way things have been going. But that's why they play the games ... Boston College was very happy to take the full 4 points on the weekend, especially with Maine dropping a game so that the Eagles have a full 3 point lead in the Hockey East race. With a tough makeup game Tuesday night at Providence, and possibly missing more players from the lineup, it isn't clear if they can stretch that lead even more. My inclination is to say that BC must limit the Friars to no more than 1, possibly 2 goals if they want to win that one, as I don't think they will put up a lot of scores of their own. I'd be happy to be proven wrong, though, and see a nice big BC blowout win for a change. (Hey, the backup goalies need some minutes! Speaking of that, is it possible that Jerry York will let Joe Pearce have another shot at winning a Hockey East game after his MVP efforts in the Great Lakes tourney?) Rick McAdoo "Volunteer reporter" A satisfied BC fan. GO EAGLES!