No. 2 Boston College, Matt Boldy power past No. 7 Massachusetts, 4-3, in early-season powerhouse battle; Notre Dame upsets No. 4 Michigan, 3-2

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Jack McBain opened this scoring for No. 2 Boston College as the Eagles battled past No. 7 UMass, 4-3, to open the season on Friday (Photo: BC Athletics/John Quackenbos)

Matt Boldy’s goal 1:06 into the third period broke a 3-3 tie as second-ranked Boston College found a way past No. 7 Massachusetts, 4-3, in a back-and-forth heavyweight battle.

For an early-season game, albeit one delayed due to COVID postponements, Friday’s opening game of a two-game, home-and-home tilt between nationally-ranked powers lived up to its billing. Two of the nation’s top 10 teams finding ways to score, back-and-forth, including a five-goal second period.

Jack McBain’s goal with 4:40 left in the first was the only goal of the opening stanza, but also set up the wild 20 in the middle frame.

UMass sophomore Zac Jones sniped a shot on a shorthanded break at 1:52 of the second before Mike Hardman had the equalizer just 81 seconds later.

McBain gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead at 12:41 of the second. But UMass knotted the game at two when Josh Lopina scored twice on greasy goals – each deflections in front of the net – in a span of 73 seconds.

Both goaltenders were excellent, despite the final score. Each had to make grade ‘A’ saves, UMass’ Matt Murray finishing with 28 saves and BC’s Spencer Knight earning the win with 30 saves.

The two teams play Saturday in Amherst, Mass., at 4:30 p.m. ET.

National Scoreboard 

Notre Dame 3, No. 4 Michigan 2

A hungry Notre Dame team, sitting out last weekend after being swept by Wisconsin to begin the season, exacted a measure of revenge on Friday, making certain people don’t forget the Irish.

Notre Dame opened a 3-0 lead by the midway point of the game, then held on as fourth-ranked Michigan rallied before the Irish closed out the game, 3-2, to score the upset victory.

Nick Leivermann, Nate Clurman and Grant Sillanoff spotted the Irish the three-goal advantage by 7:41 in the second.

And while Luke Morgan pulled the Wolverines closer with 2:12 left in the second and Michael Pastujov within a goal at 2:25 of the third, Notre Dame’s Ryan Bischel stopped 11 of 12 shots in the third period to earn the one-goal victory.

RIT 8, No. 9 Clarkson 5

RIT scored five goals in the third period, including two in the frame and a hat tirick in the game by Will Calverley, as the Tigers pulled off a non-league upset of ninth-ranked Clarkson, 8-5.

After RIT jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first, Clarkson scored twice in the middle frame on goals by Alex Campbell, Anthony Romano sandwiching a goal by RIT Jake Joffe.

Trailing by one heading to the third, Clarkson’s Grant Cooper and Noah Beck scored in the first 75 seconds to jump to a 4-3 lead.

But it was the final rally by host RIT, two goals coming from Calverley and all in the final 10:01, that changed the tenor and the outcome.

The two teams will play again at Clarkson on Sunday.

 

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