The Boston College men’s hockey team dropped their season opener to Quinnipiac on Friday night, falling 4-3 in a matchup of two highly ranked teams. The Eagles were undone by an ugly second period in which they allowed three goals to the Bobcats and although they were able to fight back and make a game of it late, they ultimately came up short to drop to 0-1 on the young season.
The Eagles were a bit sluggish off the opening faceoff, forcing new starting goalie Jan Korec to make a big cut just seconds after the game started, but they settled into the game after a few minutes spent in the defensive end. Still though, it was Quinnipiac that opened up the scoring just about ten minutes into the first period, scoring on a nice shot on a rush play after an inaccurate BC pass in the offensive zone was deflected and turned over to the Bobcats. It looked like that would remain the only tally as the two teams traded abbreviated power plays that came up short, but the Eagles got another chance on the power play with just about 30 seconds left, and Teddy Stiga made it count. After Andre Gasseau won a nice puck battle in the corner and worked the puck up the boards to Lukas Gustafsson on the point, Stiga took quick pass from the defenseman and found himself with some time and space on the left wall. The sophomore forward took what he was given, walking off the wall and firing home a perfect wrist shot from just above the faceoff dot to tie things at one after the first period of play.
The score didn’t stay tied for long once play resumed, as Quinnipiac regained their lead just over two minutes into the second period, scoring off a nice passing play to make it a 2-1 game. They made it 3-1 a few shifts later, when Michael Hagens turned the puck over behind his net and allowed Quinnipiac to get a shot from the slot that beat Korec through his five-hole. New Hampshire transfer Ryan Conmy got the Eagles back in it just a few shifts after that, scoring a power play goal on a nice quick shot from the slot after controlling a pass from James Hagens that was a bit off target. Quinnipiac continued to dominate the game at even strength, however, putting in their fourth goal of the night a few minutes later after a scramble in the crease where Korec couldn’t get control of the puck to freeze it. It was a mostly awful middle period from BC outside of the one nice moment from Conmy and they entered the third period facing a two-goal deficit.
BC fought back early in the third period with an early penalty kill and a goal from junior defenseman Drew Fortescue. Fortescue managed to Quinnipiac’s lead in half with a shot from just above the leading of the circles that found its way through some traffic and into the back of the net for his first goal since his freshman season. The goal came off of a very nice set up from Andre Gasseau, who picked up his third assist of the night on the play. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Eagles would get, as they were unable to find a tying goal. They had a few decent looks at net and had some time with the puck after pulling Korec late, but never really found a grade-A chance and took the 4-3 loss in the season opener.
This wasn’t a terrible showing by BC for 40 of the 60 minutes but they were completely undone by a truly awful second period. They did a decent job battling back in the third, but in the end, the hole they dug themselves was too much for them to overcome. Their difficult schedule to open the season will continue next weekend when the Eagles travel to play Minnesota for two games in a rare Thursday/Friday series as they try to pick up their first win of the season.
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