Jan. 28, 2017
By Dan Colleran
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — The 15th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and 11th-ranked Boston College Eagles made sure their last regular-season meeting as Hockey East foes was a memorable one, with Boston College erasing a two-goal deficit to claim a 6-4 win on Saturday at a sold out Conte Forum (7,884).
Anders Bjork notched his team-high 16th goal to open the scoring for Notre Dame (14-9-3, 7-5-2 HEA) at 1:04 of the first period. Bjork would later add an assist on the second goal from Andrew Oglevie, who tallied his 13th and 14th goals of the season during the opening two periods Saturday against Boston College (17-9-2, 12-3-1 HEA).
Felix Holmberg also cashed in his first career goal from Jake Evans and Jordan Gross at 6:35 of the second period to give the Irish a 3-2 lead.
After falling behind 4-2 midway through the second period, Boston College would score the game’s final four goals. Chris Calnan, who picked up the first Eagles goal in the opening period to tie the game at 1-1, would add the game-winner at 15:59 of the third stanza.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Just 1:04 into the first period, Anders Bjork staked the Irish to a 1-0 lead. Tory Dello took a pass at the point from Dennis Gilbert and fired the puck on goal. Joseph Woll kicked out the rebound to the slot, where Bjork chipped in his 16th of the season.
Just under four minutes later, Boston College’s Chris Calnan tied the game at 1-1.
But the Irish responded 1:12 later when Andrew Oglevie sent a spinning backhander low past Woll for his 13th of the season. Gilbert earned his second assist of the night on the play, while Jake Evans had the other assist.
BC tied the game at 2-2 off the stick of Chris Brown at 4:48 of the second period. Felix Holmberg’s first career goal would follow, as Holmberg knocked home an Evans shot on goal that Woll turned aside at 6:35. Oglevie would score his second of the night, shorthanded, from Bjork and Jordan Gross at 8:36 for the 4-2 Notre Dame advantage.
Colin White would answer for Boston College later in the second period, tallying his 12th of the season from Matthew Gaudreau and JD Dudek. White’s goal trimmed the Notre Dame lead to 4-3 at 15:20.
With two minutes remaining in the second, Cal Petersen came up with a big stop, denying Calnan. Then just over a minute later the junior netminder stoned Ryan Fitzgerald’s breakaway chance to keep the Irish in front heading to the third period.
Just 1:59 into the third period, Julius Mattila tied the game, 4-4, with a quick snapshot from the low slot.
The teams continued to have chances at both ends, including back-to-back scoring opportunities by Dawson Cook and Jack Jenkins midway through the period that Woll turned aside.
Boston College took its first lead of the game with just over four minutes remaining in the third period. Calnan notched his second of the night and fifth goal of the season to put the Eagles ahead 5-4 at 15:59.
Petersen made another breakaway save to deny Fitzgerald shorthanded with 2:10 to play, and an elbowing call on White with a little over 90 seconds remaining gave the Irish a power play pushing for the tying goal.
The rally was not to be, as Fitzgerald buried an empty net goal to send Boston College to the 6-4 win.
COACH JACKSON’S THOUGHTS
On the game in general …
“I thought we played a pretty good hockey game but we were our own worst enemy sometimes with some of the mistakes we made with the puck. That plays right into BC’s hands, they’re a good transition team.”
On the pace of the game and breakaway chances throughout …
“Our games with BC are always a little chaotic. They are usually a little bit more in control than that. Something’s wrong when there are that many breakaways both ways, they’re both great goaltenders (Petersen and Woll), it wasn’t on them.”
UP NEXT
The Irish return home to play a weekend game series against No. 11/13 Vermont on Friday, Feb. 3 (7:35 p.m.) and Saturday, Feb. 4 (6:35 p.m.). Both games will be televised by the NBC Sports Network.
To purchase tickets visit UND.com/BuyTickets.
NOTRE DAME – BOSTON COLLEGE GAME NOTES
- Junior goaltender Cal Petersen made his 76th-consecutive start in the Notre Dame net, which is tied for the ninth-longest streak in the NCAA Div. I records book.
- Petersen has also appeared 77 consecutive games, which is tied for the eighth-longest mark in the NCAA Div. I records book.
- Jordan Gross skated in his 105th consecutive game, dating back to the first game of his freshman season.
- With two goals, Andrew Oglevie extended his point streak to six games (5-4-9).
- Oglevie scored his first career shorthanded goal, giving the Irish a 4-2 lead in the second period.
- With two assists, Jake Evans extended his point streak to four games (1-5-6) and he now has at least one point in 11 of Notre Dame’s last 12 games.
- Anders Bjork notched a goal and an assist for his 12th multi-point game of the season and the 22nd of his Irish career.
— ND —
Dan Colleran, associate athletics communications director at the University of Notre Dame, has been a part of Fighting Irish Media since August 2015 and coordinates all media and publicity efforts surrounding the Notre Dame hockey and golf programs. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, Colleran spent the previous three years working with the men’s hockey and soccer programs at Providence College. Colleran also spent two years as an Assistant Executive Director of Communications & Championships at the Ivy League and is a graduate of Providence College (’06 & ’08G).