Light the Lamp #5 - Luck of the Irish

Light the Lamp #5 – Luck of the Irish

December 11, 2015 · by · in Hockey

By: Scott Geyman

There’s a lot of excitement in the world of Boston College hockey, so let’s not waste any time. Preparing for takeoff in three, two, one…

Playing with Puppies

Boston College came away with a tie and a come-from-behind victory in a pair of games against the Northeastern Huskies this past weekend. It’s tough to complain about going 1-0-1 against a Hockey East foe, but considering Northeastern came into the series with a 2-11-2 record, the then No. 2 Eagles should not have let the Huskies score the equalizer with less than three minutes to go in Saturday’s matchup. On top of sloppy passing and breakouts throughout the game, Boston College accumulated 35 total penalty minutes. Already the nation’s most penalized team with 19.44 penalty minutes per game, the Eagles had a two man disadvantage at one point late in the third period. Heading into round two on Sunday at historic Matthews Arena, Boston College fell behind early, but tallied three unanswered goals within seven minutes of one another in the third period to secure a 4-3 victory. Three points out of four possible is always a positive, but four points were easily attainable given the competition.

I Want You for U.S. National Junior Team

This is a phrase that Boston College hockey knows quite well, as it has often sent players to the highly touted tournament featuring the hottest young guns and future NHL talents from around the world. This season is no different, as two of the extremely talented Boston College freshmen received the call Monday that they had been selected for the U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster. Center Colin White (selected 21st overall by OTT in 2015) and defenseman Casey Fitzgerald (undrafted) will don the red, white, and blue in training camp, which will be held December 14-18 at Boston University. The week will culminate with a matchup against UMass Amherst on December 18, after which the final roster will be determined for the tournament in Helsinki, Finland. The entire freshman class has played a major role in Boston College’s early season success, and it is undoubtedly one of the most talented groups of players the program has seen in recent years.

The Tuch Ness Monster

I certainly enjoy when Alex Tuch goes on a rampage and tries to hit everyone in sight! I also enjoy when Tuch puts the puck in the back of the net, which he struggled to do for the better part of the first two months of the season. He was visibly more physical during his scoring drought, often getting chippy with opponents after blowing a scoring opportunity or making a bad pass up the middle. Is it possible for Tuch to play even more physically, despite finding his knack for scoring again? Indeed it is, especially considering he was snubbed from this year’s U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster, a team that he had the privilege of playing for last season and is still eligible for this year. Although he is temporarily out with an upper body injury, you can fully expect Tuch to come out of the gates with a chip on his shoulder the next time he sports the maroon and gold.

Luck of the IrishSantiniND

Was it luck? Was it pure skill? Regardless, Notre Dame somehow found a way to escape a 3-1 deficit to beat Boston College 4-3 last night. In what was a fairly sloppy game for both teams early on, the Eagles gained an edge as junior center Austin Cangelosi netted a pair of third period goals, the first off a beautiful pass from Teddy Doherty atop the right circle, to give Boston College a comfortable 3-1 lead. However, it was all Irish from there. A slapshot from the point, a wrister off the draw, and another deep rifle with 22 seconds to go gave Notre Dame everything it needed to secure a huge victory. Snapping the Eagles’ 13-game unbeaten streak, the Irish move along to 9-4-4 while the Eagles fall to 13-2-1. Despite the tough loss, Cangelosi notched two goals and an assist on top of going 15-22 at the faceoff circle, continuing his breakout junior campaign.

What’s on Tap

The Eagles have reached a much deserved break, as no games are scheduled until the team heads to Estero, FL on December 28 to compete in the Florida College Classic. Boston College will open the tournament against the Ohio State Buckeyes (3-11-0), a team that has struggled in a fairly competitive Big 10 Conference. Depending on the outcome, the Eagles will take on either No. 10 Cornell (8-1-2) or No. 1 Providence (11-0-3).

As Boston College hockey has a lighter load over the next month, so too will Light the Lamp. However, be on the lookout for some special features over the holidays, including updates from the Florida College Classic and the World Junior Championships. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Boston College hockey, so tweet us at @WZBCSports. Until next time, happy holidays!