Boston College is one of the few programs in NCAA Division 1 hockey where two straight setbacks constitute an extended losing streak.
The No. 1 Eagles followed their 4-1 loss to Boston University in the Beanpot final on Feb. 8 at the TD Garden with an 3-2 loss to No. 16 UMass in the opener of a home and home weekend series on Friday night at Conte Forum.
The last time BC dropped consecutive games was a series sweep at Maine on Feb. 24 and 25 in 2023. BC dropped to 21-6-1 and 13-4-1 in Hockey East while the Minutemen, who have won six of their last seven, improved to 16-11-2 and 7-8-2 in conference play.
“It was another tight Hockey East battle,” said BC coach Greg Brown. “UMass played very well, played at a great pace and played north a lot and were heavy on our forecheck and made it difficult for us.”
UMass goalie Michael Hrabal was outstanding with 37 saves, 18 in the third period, to improve to 14-9-2 on the season. BC goalie Jacob Fowler, a Montreal Canadiens draft pick and semifinalist for the Richter Award, made 26 saves in his sixth loss of the season.
“We’ve beaten good teams on the road all year and I think this is a real good confidence builder for our group and we are feeling it,” said UMass coach Greg Carvel. “The difference for us down the stretch is going to be Michael Hrabal, he played outstandingly.
“I challenged him tonight. I said ‘keep them to two goals or less and we’ll score three.’ That’s how it played out.”
UMass’ penalty kill unit was tested early in the third when defenseman Lucas Olvestad got bagged for holding 18 seconds into the frame. Linden Alger followed for roughing at 2:04, but the Hrabal survived the subsequent onslaught.
“That was huge for us and that call that put us down 5-on-3 didn’t look like a penalty to me,” said Carvel. “But to kill a 5-on-3, the kids did an excellent job taking care of business.”
Both goalies were pummeled with point blank shots, a few of which bounced off the pipes. Hrabal stoned Perreault on a clean breakaway with six minutes to play.
UMass junior center Kenny Connors scored the insurance goal when he lofted a clearing shot from his own end that reached the BC cage. BC stayed with the extra skater and Ryan Leonard scored his 24th of the season with 26 seconds on the clock.
“You have to make your own puck luck and we had generated chances,” said Brown. “Gabe Perreault had a chance before that (Connors goal) and missed it with the heel of his stick and that’s sometimes the way it goes.”
UMass reduced the noise level in the house to a quiet hum by scoring the opener at 1:14 of the first period. Right wing Cole O’Hara won a puck battle in the left corner and slipped it to Lucas Mercuri along the end boards behind the BC cage.
Mercuri, a Carolina Hurricanes sixth round draft pick, fed it in front to sophomore Jack Musa, who fired a quick wrister. Fowler made the initial save, but Musa collected the rebound and back handed the puck home for his 14th of the season.
BC tied the game 1-1 on the power play in heavy traffic around the UMass cage at 11:28. Freshman right wing Teddy Stiga of Sudbury collected his own rebound and fed it across the crease to Perreault, who flicked it by Hrabal for his 12th of the season. The Minutemen outshot the Eagles 9-7 in the first.
The second period featured multiple odd man rushes and power play opportunities for both camps that generated quality scoring chances.
UMass got in the last word at 19:59 when Musa connected with O’Hara on a rush into the right circle. O’Hara, a Nashville Predators draft pick, unleashed a far post, top shelf, wrist shot that beat Fowler stick side for his 16th of the season.
“O’Hara has been pretty consistent and he had two points tonight,” said Carvel. “He is having a hell of a year but he doesn’t get the recognition.”
