After a comeback bid fell short against Michigan Tech, Boston College men’s hockey finds itself in a consolation game against Northern Michigan the very next day. With just over 24 hours of rest, the No. 13 Eagles (10-8-2, 10-3-0 Hockey East), the only USCHO-ranked team in the Ice Vegas Tournament, will look to avoid a last place finish against the Wildcats (11-10-2, 9-5-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association). Northern Michigan fell victim to an Arizona State team that successfully found the net a total of seven times. Both the Wildcats and the Eagles will be looking to leave Las Vegas on a high note, but on such short rest, the game may come down to which team can outlast the other.
Who is BC playing?
Northern Michigan
When is BC playing?
Saturday, Jan. 6, 8 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.
How to watch?
The game will be livestreamed on WatchESPN.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) The Eagles were hit with 27 penalty minutes against Northern Michigan, while only being on the power play themselves for eight minutes.
2) Over the past five games, BC has been allowing 3.4 goals per game—0.6 more than its season average.
3) The Eagles have just one first period goal in their past three games.
Northern Michigan:
1) The Wildcats have a penalty kill rate of just 81.6 percent, having allowed 19 goals with a man in the box.
2) Senior Robbie Payne leads his team with six goals on the power play.
3) Northern Michigan has a record of 2-5 against non-conference opponents, part of which can be attributed to back-to-back losses against Nebraska Omaha in late November.
Last Meeting:
BC and Northern Michigan have not found themselves on the same ice since March of 1999 during the NCAA tournament. The Eagles won the game, 2-1, and soon made it to the national semifinals where they lost to Maine, the eventual national champion, in overtime, 2-1.
BC wins if…
Goalie Ryan Edquist settles down in front of the net. Expectations were high for the sophomore after a shutout against UConn, but in the first period against Michigan Tech he simply could not find his game. However, Edquist only allowed one goal the rest of the way, and although it proved to be the game-winner, he finished with 24 saves. Hard hits on a Wildcat team coming off even less rest than the Eagles will help, and if Edquist can pick up where he left off at the end of last night, BC will have a good shot at coming home with a win under its belt.
BC loses if…
It cannot stay disciplined early on. The Eagles have lost two of their past three games, mostly due to their struggles on the penalty kill. In the two losses to Northeastern and Michigan Tech, six of the nine goals BC conceded came when it was short-handed, and the Eagles had to try and come back from large deficits by the start of the second period. With more than twice as many penalty minutes in those games as its opponents, BC will be on thin ice once again versus the Wildcats.
Featured Image by Lizzy Barrett / Heights Editor
