CHESTNUT HILL — After not beating Boston College since 2021, the Massachusetts hockey team grabbed a 3-2 win over the Eagles on the road on Friday night.
The win also marks the first time the Minutemen (16-11-2, 7-8-2 Hockey East) have beaten the Eagles (21-6-1, 13-4-1 HEA) in regulation since 2019.
“A big win for us [Friday] but I think it’s just a next step for our group, we’ve won six of our last seven,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “Beating good teams on the road all year. This is just a real good confidence builder again for our group, we’re feeling it.”
In the last two minutes of the game, BC pulled goaltender Jacob Fowler to bring it up a man while chasing a 2-1 deficit. Kenny Connors grabbed the puck and shot it 180 feet down the ice on his backhand to put the puck in the back of the net to add an insurance goal for UMass. The goal put Connors at the top of the UMass record books in most consecutive games with a goal, scoring in six straight games.
The insurance goal was needed for the Minutemen after Gabe Perrault passed the puck in front of goaltender Michael Hrabal to Ryan Leonard. The sophomore tapped the puck in the second it hit his stick, not giving Hrabal enough time to move, putting BC within one goal. Leonard’s goal, though, was with 26 seconds left, not giving the team enough time to tie up the game.
With time ticking down in the second period, the Eagles skated down the ice with the puck on Leonard’s stick. Leonard tapped the puck across the crease to Perrault who tried to score on Hrabal but Lucas Mercuri slapped the puck down. Jack Musa quickly took the puck and skated down the ice. With Cole O’Hara streaking to the right of him on the boards, Musa passed to him. O’Hara skated to the center of the ice, settled the puck and sent a wrist shot bar down to bring UMass up 2-1 with less than a second left in the second period.
“I don’t know how many games he doesn’t have a point this year,” Carvel said about O’Hara. “He had two more points tonight, he’s probably top three in the country. He’s having a hell of a year, doesn’t get a lot of recognition, he should.”
Hrabal was a large part of UMass’ win, facing 39 shots, saving 37 shots he faced.
Defensively, the defenseman used their physicality to keep the Eagles away from the puck. Perrault was put on a breakaway but Lucas Ölvestad caught up to the Rangers first round draft pick. Ölvestad covered him, moving Perrault to Hrabal’s right side and allowing just a soft shot to Hrabal’s blocker that he covered.
Defense had to be at its best after the Minutemen were forced to kill a 5-on-3 after Ölvestad and Linden Alger went to the box in the third period. Despite the Eagles adding a few shots on goal, the Minutemen successfully killed off the penalty.
Larry Keenan specifically jumped out for UMass, making smart decisions with the puck throughout the 60 minutes of play.
“I just thought I was playing with confidence,” Keenan said. “I felt like I was reading their forecheck pretty well and making smart decisions on the boards.”
The Minutemen opened up the scoring with just over a minute played in the first period. In a battle in the corners, O’Hara popped the puck to Mercuri. The senior didn’t take long to tap to Musa in front of the crease. Musa’s first attempted shot bounced off goaltender Jacob Fowler, but he stayed with the puck, caught the rebound and squeezed it by the Eagle goaltender.
Musa has continued to stay hot, recording at least a point in each game since Jan. 18 against Merrimack.
BC found a goal of its own after Mercuri took a face off violation that sent him to the penalty box. With over a minute left in the Eagles’ power play, Perrault sent an across crease pass to Andre Gasseau. Teddy Stiga stole the rebound in front of the crease and passed to Perrault who was near the left side of the net. Hrabal was not covering the left side of net, allowing Perrault to shoot a quick wrist shot to tie the game.
UMass will head back home to Mullins Center to try to sweep BC on Saturday, Feb. 15. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
“If we bring our A-game, we can beat anybody in the league,” Carvel said. “Our league is so good this year, every game you play, you have to be at your best.”
Kayla Gregoire can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @Kaygregoire.
