After a 3-1 loss to Boston University last Saturday, there was certainly some concern for top-ranked Boston College coming into a matchup against a UMass Lowell team that knocked off No. 20 Connecticut earlier in the week and was 6-3-1 in the previous 10 against the Eagles.
All stress, though, for Eagles fans was erased by the middle of the hockey game as the Eagles struck three times in the middle stanza to break open a close game on the way to a 7-1 victory over the River Hawks.
Matt Boldy finished the game with a goal and four assists for a five-point night and both Alex Newhook and Mike Hardman notched two goals and an assist each.
▶️ And now the fifth… Boldy's sixth of the year from Kuntar. How's this for a release? pic.twitter.com/6FE0bSIthS
— BC Hockey (@BCHockey) February 13, 2021
Boston College’s power play was the difference maker. Despite surrendering Lowell’s only goal of the game, a shorthanded tally, to Lucas Condatta in the first, the Eagles went 3-for-5 with the mad advantage, using penalties to change the tone of the game.
“I thought we executed very, very well,” Boston College coach Jerry York said of his power play, which allowed the shorthanded goal before it scored three times with the man advantage. “The power play unit didn’t get frustrated. They were the best they were all year. They moved the puck well.
“The game is so dependent on 5-on-5 play. The power play, we’ve just struggled with it so much this year. The past few weeks we’ve figured out how to move the puck and know where people are. Five-on-five is our base and we want to move from there.”
Spencer Knight was solid in goal for the Eagles stopped 29 of 30 shots.
Western Michigan 4, No. 4 Minnesota Duluth 0
Alex Aslanidis stopped all 24 shots he faced as Western Michigan pulled of the night’s biggest upset, a 4-0 shutout of No. 4 Minnesota Duluth.
Josh Passolt scored twice for the Broncos in the victory. Cole Gallant’s goal was sandwiched between and Ethan Frank’s empty netter accounted for the 4-0 victory.
WATCH: @hughlarkin18 with the big effort on the boards to poke it out and @jj_passy chases it down buries it! pic.twitter.com/6YIYhqFM5N
— WMU Hockey (@WMUHockey) February 13, 2021
The win is the second straight for Western Michigan against a top-five opponent having beaten then No. 4 St. Cloud State last Saturday, 5-4 in overtime.
Miami 3, No. 6 St. Cloud State 2
Casey Gilling’s power play tally with 7:10 remaining in regulation broke a 2-2 tie as Miami earned a major upset of No. 6 St. Cloud State, 3-2.
Here's the goal! pic.twitter.com/4kIUAaeIPq
— Miami Hockey (@MiamiOH_Hockey) February 13, 2021
The win broke an eight-game winless streak (0-7-1) for Miami, which is in the midst of a playing a national-ranked opponent for eight straight games.
Spencer Maier opened the scoring in the first period for the Huskies only to have Miami respond with goals from Alec Capstick and John Sladic midway through the third to give the Red Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Just 10 seconds after Sladic’s tally, Jami Krannila evened the score, setting up Gilling’s game-winner.
The two clubs will rematch in Miami on Saturday.
