After a rare tie with New Hampshire—a team the Boston College men’s hockey had won seven-consecutive matches against—the Eagles (3-5-1, 3-1-1 Hockey East) will host Bentley (3-7-1, 3-5-1 Atlantic Hockey) in the first-ever meeting between the two on Friday afternoon. BC is currently riding a four-game unbeaten streak, having enjoyed a lengthy stay at home after four of its first five were on the road. The Falcons are skating into a weekend on the road following a split with Army at Bentley Arena.
Who is BC playing?
Bentley
Where is BC playing?
Kelley Rink, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
When is BC playing?
Friday, Nov. 23, 3 p.m.
How to watch:
The game will be livestreamed on ESPN3 and accessible via WatchESPN.
By the numbers:
BC:
1) BC holds the sixth-longest unbeaten streak in the nation and the second longest in Hockey East, trailing only Massachusetts’ seven-game run.
2) During this stretch, the Eagles haven’t let up more than two goals per game. They’ve outscored their opponents by a margin of 13-6, a much-improved +7 goal differential after posting a -14 mark through five games.
3) Junior David Cotton is the team’s leading scorer with nine points, one third of BC’s overall points scored so far this season. Cotton, a Carolina Hurricanes selection, is one of 11 draft picks on the Eagles roster.
Bentley:
1) Bentley has yet to find a win on the road, losing three games and tying one, 4-4, against American International. The Falcons haven’t finished with .500 record away from Waltham, Mass., since 2014-15.
2) Bentley is fourth in scoring in the AHA with 31 goals in 11 games—2.81 goals per game. The Falcons have found success on the power play, currently ranking fifth in the conference with a 17 percent mark.
3) There’s a pair of players on Bentley to keep an eye on, with forward Luke Santerno pacing the offense in assists (10) and points (13), while forward Drew Callin has piled up a team-high five goals.
Last meeting:
This is the first time BC will be facing off against Bentley in program history.
Outlook:
The Eagles are hoping for another win during their five-game home stand, with Kelley Rink so far providing the right backdrop to a season turnaround. Bentley was unable to score more than two goals against Hockey East teams Merrimack and UMass Lowell, in 1-0 and 4-2 setbacks, but the Falcons have beaten a team from BC’s conference in eight of the last 10 years. To avoid an upset against a team that hasn’t had a winning season since 2014-15, the Eagles will need to continue to pile up shots—they’ve outshot opponents by a per-game average of 22 since the Merrimack loss—and play stout defense. If BC’s Cotton finds the back of the net once again and goalie Joe Woll’s .951 save percentage over his last three starts holds up, the Eagles are likely to come out victorious and enter next Friday’s Battle of Comm. Ave. against rival Boston University with plenty of momentum.
Featured Image by Jess Rivilis / For The Heights
