The Massachusetts hockey team did all they could to contain Nathan Gerbe and the talented Boston College offense – until the third period. The Minutemen took a 1-1 tie into the third with confidence that they could once again upset the vaunted Eagles (they were 4-1-1 in their last six against BC), but the wheels came off for UMass as Gerbe kicked it up a notch and burned the Minutemen up and down the ice, finishing with a four-point night. UMass coach Don Cahoon created a defensive line to combat Gerbe and Co., and it worked for 40 minutes. But that was all. Sophomore Brett Watson, the Minutemen’s best defensive forward, was the pivot between freshman Marc Concannon and junior speedster Chris Davis. The trio was aggressive against the scoring line of center Brian Gibbons between wingers Gerbe and Ben Smith. The Eagles’ scoring line struck early in the first but was held to that single goal until five minutes into the third as Watson’s crew was aggressive in its own zone and gave very few clear looks at the net to Gerbe, Gibbons and Smith. “I think Watson’s line stayed with Gerbe’s line most of the night,” Cahoon said. “Watson’s our most responsible defensive forward, and Chris Davis is arguably the fastest skater we have. He lined up opposite Gerbe, and at times through the middle of the rink, he slowed him down and stayed with him.” Cahoon and Captain Mike Kostka spoke after the game, saying they felt they were not so far off from the Eagles’ level as a 4-1 score may indicate, and it’s true, the only difference may have been the step or two Gerbe had on everyone else on the ice. “On the first goal, [Gerbe] burns a guy because he’s not fluid in a pivot and catches him flat-footed,” Cahoon said. “And on the third goal, he put so much pressure on the puck-side defenseman that the weak-side defenseman doesn’t take care of his responsibility because he thinks he has to help him out.” On that third goal, Gerbe took it upon himself to close out two Hockey East points for the BC, taking the puck from his own zone and scorching up the left boards past Davis, who is indeed one of the fastest skaters in the conference. Gerbe got by Davis cleanly before reaching the UMass blue line then drew both defensemen to his side. A soft pass through traffic to Ben Smith, who followed the play the length of the ice, made for an easy goal behind Paul Dainton. Kostka acknowledged Gerbe’s ability but despite a goal and three assists, felt there was more to the Eagles’ victory than one player. “He’s a solid player; he’s quick,” Kostka said. “I don’t think he was the difference in the game. Obviously, great players on every team are labeled as their difference-makers, and he’s one of the top players in the country. But I think the rest of the team kind of plays in the shadows behind him because of the type of numbers he puts up.” That may have been so, but there’s no denying the Minutemen were in more danger of falling behind BC when Gerbe was on the ice. “He was forceful, and he was strong,” BC coach Jerry York said of Gerbe. “He’s having an incredible season. He reminds me more of Brian Gionta [232 points at BC, second all-time] as the season progresses.” The Minutemen were just a step behind Gerbe throughout the third period, and it cost them two points in the conference standings as well as lot of momentum heading into the final month of the season. UMass has two games each left against Northeastern, Maine, Boston University and Merrimack, with plenty of room to climb back into the middle of the Hockey East pack. They won’t have to face Gerbe and the Eagles again this regular season, but as the standings are now (UMass is in eighth place, BC in second), there’s a strong chance the two will see each other again in the Hockey East Tournament. “[Gerbe]’s one of the true gems of college hockey, no question,” Cahoon said. “I thought we did a decent job of playing him, but we didn’t solve him.” Jeremy Rice can be reached at [email protected].