(Box from online sources and my notes) Saturday, February 21, 2004 at Tsongas Arena, Lowell, MA BC 5, UML 0 HOCKEY EAST GAME ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BOSTON COLLEGE (HE) 1 2 2 - 5 (25-3-4 overall, 16-1-3 HE) UMASS-LOWELL (HE) 0 0 0 - 0 (8-20-6 overall, 5-11-4 HE) Shots on Goal Pen - Min Power Play BC 14-13-12 -- 39 7 - 14 1 - 4 UML 6- 9-11 -- 26 5 - 10 0 - 6 BC - Matti Kaltiainen 6- 9-11 - 26 saves/0 goals (60:00) UML - Chris Davidson 13-11- 2 - 26 saves/4 goals (46:38) John Yaros x- x- 8 - 8 saves/1 goal (13:22) Referee - John Gravellese Assistants - Kevin Shea, Jack Millea Attendance - 5328 1st Period BC1 Tony Voce 23 (Stephen Gionta, J.D. Forrest) 16:37 GWG Penalties UML - Peter Tormey (cross-checking) 5:08 UML - Matt Collar (charging) 19:29 2nd Period BC2 Dave Spina 6 (unassisted) SHG 15:07 BC Timeout 16:20 BC3 Pat Eaves 13 (Stephen Gionta, Tony Voce) 19:59 Penalties UML - Kim Brandvold (holding) 2:12 BC - Andrew Alberts (slashing) 8:08 BC - Brett Peterson (hooking) 11:17 BC - Ryan Shannon (interference) 11:47 BC - John Adams (holding) 14:18 BC - J.D. Forrest (slashing) 16:20 3rd Period BC4 Tony Voce 24 (Pat Eaves, J.D. Forrest) 4x4 6:38 BC5 Joe Rooney 4 (Greg Lauze, Dave Spina) PPG 17:50 Penalties BC - Adam Pineault (roughing) 6:15 UML - Matt Collar (roughing) 6:15 BC - Dave Spina (hit from behind) 15:17 UML - Cleve Kinley (slashing) 16:11 3 Stars - 1. BC - Tony Voce (2G, 1A) 2. BC - Matti Kaltiainen (26 saves, 0 goals) 3. BC - Dave Spina (1G, 1A) University of Massachusetts - Lowell: F MARK PANDOLFO, BEN WALTER, DANNY O'BRIEN Brad King, Elias Godoy, Rene Gauthier Andrew Martin, Jason Tejchma, Bobby Robins Todd Fletcher, Chris Fontas, Peter Hanlon D MATT COLLAR, CLEVE KINLEY Peter Tormey, Jake Pence Kim Brandvold, Jerramie Domish G CHRIS DAVIDSON, John Yaros, Paul Mammola Boston College: F PAT EAVES, STEPHEN GIONTA, TONY VOCE Joe Rooney, Ryan Shannon, Dave Spina Chris Collins, Ty Hennes, Ryan Murphy Adam Pineault, Ned Havern, Justin Dziama D ANDREW ALBERTS, J.D. FORREST John Adams, Peter Harrold Greg Lauze, Brett Peterson G MATTI KALTIAINEN, Joe Pearce, Robbie Miller COMMENTS -------- Boston College completed the weekend sweep of UMass-Lowell with a 5-0 shutout at Lowell Saturday night. It was a much tougher game than the score would indicate, as BC had to fight off extended UML power plays in the second period (during which a Lowell goal was disallowed) and then scored a shorthanded goal and a crushing end-of-period goal to pull away. Tony Voce got 2 goals for BC and Matti Kaltiainen was stellar in the nets to claim his third shutout of the season. BC came out flying in the first period, unlike Friday night, and carried most of the play from the start. Andrew Alberts and Brett Peterson both pinched down from the points to get early shots, and Chris Davidson got plenty of work on an early BC power play. Chris Collins was just wide on a screened backhand shot, and it looked like BC would run the River Hawks out of the building. Lowell started to stabilize a bit after that, getting a couple of quick shots of their own, though their primary play of the first 14 minutes was an icing of the puck to relieve pressure. It then looked like Lowell might take the lead against the run of play as Ben Walter got a loose puck in the slot but fired it wide, then Brad King stole the puck at the BC blue line and sailed in for a point-blank try. Kaltiainen came up big, though, flashing a glove to snare the shot. After UML missed on a cross-crease feed, BC went the other way and got set up in the zone. J.D. Forrest sent a shot in from the point, Steve Gionta got a piece of it in front, it was saved, and Tony Voce was right there to poke in the rebound at the left side for the 1-0 lead. Davidson made one big save on a BC power play at the end of the period and Lowell was probably fortunate to only be down 1-0. The continuing power play to open the second period was all BC possession, as the puck never left the Lowell zone and the Eagles sent numerous shots flying at the net (though most were wide of the cage.) Davidson made another glove save once back at even strength after a Lowell turnover, and BC had another power play but it was relatively ineffective as UML settled down a bit. The Eagles cranked up the pressure again as Voce drove deep and set up Gionta for a point-blank shot that was saved, then Adam Pineault jumped on the rebound and Davidson came up with another big save. Forrest fired a shot from the wing, Pat Eaves sailed one just wide on a break-in, then followed with another hard wrister that ticked off the goalie's glove and trickled just wide of the post. It was total BC domination, it seemed. But then it changed, when BC got called for the first of 5 successive penalties. The first power play didn't produce much for Lowell, but it got them a breather, and their next power play was very strong, putting lots of pressure on the BC net. With a mad scramble in front as a puck was sent through the slot, a Lowell player popped the puck into the left side of the net as the net came off its moorings. The referee ruled no goal, as the whistle had blown for a penalty on Ryan Shannon. Lowell had a full 1:30 of a 2-man advantage, and they had several good chances, but either fired it wide or Kaltiainen made the save. BC was helped when a defender lost his stick but had the puck fall under his body and he lay on top of it to get a whistle. Elias Godoy was just wide on a clean setup and Jason Tejchma had a slot shot deflected, then BC was able to get a couple of clearances to relieve the pressure. BC took another penalty after killing the 5-on-3 (though this one was a weak call, as the Lowell player just skated into the BC player and then fell down on him.) Forrest fanned on an attempted clear and Lowell had a 2-on-1, but Kaltiainen made the save and controlled the rebound. As things got a bit hectic in the BC end, Lowell committed an infraction and the ref's arm went up for the delayed call. In the meantime Dave Spina took off shorthanded on a 1-man attack. He had a defenseman to beat, and he pushed the puck through the D-man's legs moving right-to-left across the slot, then reached out to corral the loose puck and flip a backhand shot over Davidson as he slid to meet the puck for a crucial second BC goal. It was a very pretty goal that should never have been allowed to happen (weak D, and Spina celebrated with a little showboating move afterward. Show some class, Dave.) With the goal, the Lowell penalty was never called, and BC had to kill the rest of the power play. As they killed it, though, the Eagles took yet another penalty, and coach York called a timeout to rest his penalty killers and talk to them about not giving Lowell these chances. UML didn't do much on the power play but did continue to put an attack on BC for most of the rest of the period. With just 10 seconds remaining, BC forechecked hard on a dump-in, and Gionta worked it free behind the net to Pat Eaves. He turned in the corner and looked for a passing lane, but with time running out realized he had to shoot. He fired it from just outside the goal line at Davidson's pads, and Chris didn't have the post quite covered as it hit his pads and deflected into the goal just before the buzzer. A killer goal, credited at 19:59 but really scored with no time left on the clock, and it was a sign that no matter what they tried, this wasn't going to be Lowell's night. A horrible goal to give up for the River Hawks. The third period started with up-and-down chances for both teams. Ben Walter lost control on a 2-on-1 and only got a weak shot for Lowell, and Justin Dziama and Pineault had quick shots for BC. Matching penalties opened up the ice, and Tony Voce got his second of the night when he picked up a drop pass at the blue line, cut to the middle, and used the defenseman as a screen as he fired a low, hard shot that Davidson wasn't ready for and it scored below his pads. John Yaros came in to relieve Davidson after that goal. The rest of the game was anticlimactic, with the only question being whether or not Kaltiainen could keep the shutout. Both teams had decent shots, and the goalies were doing well to save them. Kaltiainen made a huge save on Danny O'Brien as he came in alone after a Lowell steal in center ice. BC finished the scoring on a late power play when Greg Lauze sent a low dart into a mass of bodies in front and Joe Rooney tipped it past Yaros. With a minute left Tejchma was set up right in front of Kaltiainen with no one on him and he lifted a quick shot only to see Matti flash his glove and snare the shot to preserve the shutout. In many ways this was a game that was dominated by BC, yet until the shorthanded goal in the second Lowell was right there and might have had a shot at the upset with a little more luck. But just as in Friday's game, the Lowell goaltender made some mistakes and the Eagles put the puck in the net when they had the chance, and Lowell couldn't do the same to Kaltiainen. This was probably the shutout that Matti had to work the hardest for, and he played magnificently. It might have been a different game if the Lowell goal hadn't been called back, or it might not have been different, with BC carrying much of the play and getting more shots. The Eagles' talent level continues to carry them, and they make their own luck with their high-pressure offense and defense. Lowell needs to get a big game from a goalie and get a little luck to get out of their post-forfeits slump. It doesn't get any easier for them next week as they get to face high-flying Maine for 2 games. For BC, the season-long search for the regular season title continues. With a 5-point lead on Maine with 4 games to play, BC needs only one more win and one Maine loss to clinch. BC plays UNH in a home-and-home matchup next week, and would love to win both to seal the title before the final road trip to Maine. Regardless of what happens next week, though, they want to continue the unbeaten streak into the playoffs if they can, to see if they can duplicate the championship run of the 2001 team. Rick McAdoo "Volunteer reporter" A satisfied BC fan. GO EAGLES!