Riding a three-game win streak, Boston College men’s hockey hopes to keep up the momentum in a home tilt against Hockey East foe New Hampshire. With a win on Friday, the Eagles (3-5, 3-1 Hockey East) can further dig themselves out of an early season hole and inch closer to .500. UNH (1-5-2, 1-2-1) is entering with a poor record and has not picked up a win since the end of October.
Who is BC Playing?
New Hampshire
When is BC Playing?
Friday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m.
Where is BC Playing?
Kelley Rink, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
How to Watch:
The games will be available to stream on WatchESPN and will be aired on WEEI 850 AM.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) David Cotton leads the team with 12 points and the entire conference with 1.5 points per game, as he has accumulated eight goals and four assists on the season.
2) BC has outshot its opponents, 31.3 to 28.6, yet it has been outscored, 24-17. This margin can be attributed to early season games in which the Eagles were blown out, so this gap could very well close in the coming weeks.
3) The Eagles may have to clean up their play on the ice. They have totaled 44 penalties, compared to their opponents’ mark of 35. On the bright side, BC has provided staunch power play defense, as opponents have only scored four goals on 36 opportunities.
UNH:
1) Max Gildon and Charlie Kelleher lead the Wildcats in points with eight and seven, respectively. Interestingly, most of their point production has come from assists, as each player has tallied seven on the season.
2) Jackson Pierson, Marcus Vela, and Ara Nazarian have each scored three goals so far for the Wildcats.
3) UNH might not boast the best record, but it has played close games throughout the season. Seven of the Wildcats’ eight games have been decided by one goal or less.
Last Meeting:
BC is unbeaten in its last 11 meetings (9-0-2) against the Wildcats, having last lost to them on Jan. 12, 2013. These teams played twice last season, with BC coming out on top both times. The Eagles defeated the Wildcats on the road in November and then beat them at home on Jan. 14, 5-2.
Outlook:
BC is starting to right the ship after a disastrous start to the season. This Eagles team has a bevy of talent, but, at times, has looked out of sync on the ice. Every game counts for BC, as Hockey East looks quite competitive this year. If the Eagles can get a win against a UNH team that they’ve traditionally had the upper hand over, they’ll enter the third week of November on a four-game win streak having practically erased their abysmal start to the 2018-19 campaign.
Featured Image by Ikram Ali / For The Heights
