University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
2-3-0, 1-2-0HEA
#6 Boston College
3-1-0, 1-1-0HEA
UMass Hockey Falls At #6 Boston College, 4-1
October 25, 2014 | Hockey
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - In a contest that started as a defensive battle, the UMass hockey team saw its two-game winning streak come to an end with a 4-1 setback at #6 Boston College on Saturday night at Kelley Rink in Conte Forum. Following the loss, the Minutemen sit at 2-3-0 on the year (1-2-0 HEA), while the Eagles improve to 3-1-0 overall and 1-1-0 in league action.
Junior Shane Walsh netted the lone goal of the contest for the Minutemen, picking up his first of the season for his third point on the year. Freshman Dennis Kravchenko logged his second assist of his rookie campaign, while redshirt sophomore Frank Vatrano chipped in a helper, as well, for his first career point.
There were limited opportunities for either side in the opening period, with BC's Michael Matheson providing the best scoring chance in the frame, clanging a shot off the post.
Coming out of the first intermission, netminder Henry Dill came up with a big stop for the Minutemen and freshman Keith Burchett was denied on a partial breakaway early in the period.
Then, shortly following a flurry of opportunities for UMass, BC broke up the scoreless deadlock at the 14:15 mark of the second as Alex Tuch scored on a wrister from the top of the faceoff circles on a 2-on-1 rush with Adam Gilmour and Matheson earning assists.
With a 5-on-3 power play opportunity, the Eagles increased the margin to 2-0. Gilmour drove a one-timer past Dill off a feed from Noah Hanifin and Matheson 16:55 into the stanza.
Boston College added its second 5-on-3 power-play goal of the night 12:55 into the third with Hanifin and Matheson once again setting up Gilmour for the tally.
The Minutemen took one of the goals back late in the third. With the man advantage and an extra skater on, Vatrano sent the puck down low to Kravchenko at the left faceoff circle and Kravchenko centered it for Walsh who beat Thatcher Demko with the redirection at the 17:48 mark.
The Eagles then completed the scoring with an empty net goal from Quinn Smith 19:27 into the third.
Boston College finished with a 31-22 shot advantage and went 2-for-6 on the power play, while UMass was 1-for-5. Dill made 27 saves in his third straight start between the pipes for the Minutemen and Demko stopped 21 for the Eagles. UMass won 38 of 73 faceoffs on the evening (52.1%), led by a 11-for-17 (64.7%) night for Walsh.
The Minutemen will be back in action next weekend, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with a pair of Hockey East matchups at Maine. Both Friday's and Saturday's games are set for 7 p.m. starts.
