LOWELL — The UMass Lowell River Hawks hosted the Boston College Eagles in a battle of Hockey East opponents at the Tsongas Center on Friday.
Boston College was able to come away with the 3-1 victory thanks to two goals by Bruins draft pick Dean Letourneau, a 6-foot-7 center.
The River Hawks (6-9-0, 3-4-0) were coming off a 7-3 win over St. Lawrence last Saturday, but overall they have had trouble scoring goals of late. BC (9-5-1, 6-3-0) remained red hot before a sellout crowd of 6,143.
“We certainly came up short tonight. I liked the third period, I thought that there was a little more urgency, but it was a little too late. If you break down the goals, two penalty kills against and a missed faceoff assignment,” UML head coach Norm Bazin said.
UML won the opening faceoff, and got some early offensive pushes, but Eagles goalie Luka Cloutier held tough in net.
BC star forward and Bruins first-round pick James Hagens had a breakaway opportunity with 8:30 remaining, but lost the puck on his own and squandered a scoring chance. Boston College got the first power play opportunity of the night, after a hooking call on the River Hawks with 5:00 to go.
UML had come into the game as a solid power play killing team at 86.5%, but BC Letourneau was able to score with five seconds left in the power play off an assist by Jake Sondreal, making it 1-0. Shortly after, UML was able to attain a power play chance of its own after a roughing call on the Eagles with 2:44 left. The Eagles were able to kill the penalty successfully, as the first period came to a close with Boston College leading 1-0.
BC won the faceoff to start the second period, and got a shot on goal early on that was saved by the glove side of River Hawks goalie Austin Elliott (26 saves). BC was able to get its second power play opportunity of the game after another roughing call on UML with 17:45 left.
The Eagles had a one-timer chance but the shot was saved by Elliott again, as the River Hawks were able to successfully kill the power play. River Hawks forward Connor Eddy had a breakaway chance at the 15:00 mark, as Cloutier (15 saves) made a nice save in front of the net.
UML returned the favor on power play chances, after another roughing call on Boston College with 13:30 to go. BC was able to successfully kill the penalty, and then Cloutier made an incredible diving save at the 10:30 mark. Hagens finally found the back of the net on a slap shot just past the blue line on the right wing, making it 2-0 Eagles with 9:00 to go.
BC go another power play chance on a hooking call on the River Hawks with 2:00 left, but UML was able to kill the penalty as the second period came to a close.
In the third period, a slashing penalty was called on the River Hawks at the 17:00 mark, and BC was able to capitalize off the power play, with another goal by Letourneau in front of the net to make it 3-0 Eagles, and the goal was assisted on by Sondreal, his third of the game.
The River Hawks were able to get yet another power play chance after another roughing call with 14:00 left, but the Eagles were able to kill it again. The River Hawks were finally able to get on the board, with a goal by sophomore forward Mirko Buttazzoni, assisted on by his brother Diego Buttazzoni, at the 12:00 mark, to make it 3-1.
Mirko Buttazzoni took a pass and scored from the bottom of the right faceoff circle.
Both teams were given penalties with 12:00 left, and played four on four, with neither team scoring. Shortly after, a tripping penalty was called on BC, and UML found the siege with another power play chance. The Eagles were able to successfully kill yet again, as the clock ran below three minutes. BC was able to hold on for the rest of the game.
