This has not been a good month for Boston College’s hockey team. But coach Jerry York remains positive, despite the Eagles’ five-game winless streak.
In fact, York believes BC benefited from the latest results, two ties in a 24-hour period with Hockey East opponent Vermont.
“Another playoff-type atmosphere, as far as the game,’’ York said after 11th-ranked BC and the 16th-ranked Catamounts played to a 2-2 tie Saturday night. “Every possession was contested. It was just a hard, tough hockey game.
“I like how we’re getting better. It doesn’t reflect in the win-loss — a two-ties weekend. We’re a better team now than when we started this Friday. I thought we created some excellent offensive chances. We didn’t capitalize on them but I liked our overall game.
“Very pleased with how we played — two tough games, playoff-type atmospheres, as far as contested pucks. I like how we’re going, I like what we’re doing.’’
The Eagles (18-12-4, 13-4-3 Hockey East), 0-3-2 since Feb. 2, maintained their league lead, a 2-point advantage over Boston University going into the last weekend of the regular season.
The Eagles and Vermont (17-10-5, 9-7-4) followed a similar script Saturday after playing to a 3-3 tie Friday night. The Eagles got off to a fast start for the second successive night, Julius Mattila opening the scoring at 2:09. BC had scored at 1:37 and had a 2-0 lead by 3:48 Friday night.
Vermont, which had rallied from a three-goal deficit the previous night, had chances midway through the opening period, Ross Colton and Craig Puffer going in alone on Joseph Woll. The Catamounts stayed close, though BC threatened in the second period as Austin Cangelosi took a Matthew Gaudreau feed in front, Stefanos Lekkas saving.
Brian Bowen, who scored both Vermont goals, equalized at 13:27 of the second period, carrying behind the net and slipping a shot past Woll. Bowen then hit the left post seconds before the end of the period.
In the third period, the Eagles capitalized on an early power play, Cangelosi breaking the deadlock with a deflected shot past Lekkas at 1:41. Bowen equalized, redirecting a shot over Woll’s shoulder at 2:21.
“It sure felt like playoffs,’’ Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon said. “A good 2 points for us — we kind of got it the hard way, but I’m certainly pleased with how we played this weekend. Again, we got down early. Unlike last night I thought we wrestled it back pretty quickly.
“I really liked our response to their power play goal. Maybe one or two shifts after the goal, we counterattacked and got the equalizer. So, that was another good sign of resilience. That’s how our team’s been all year, these guys are very resilient.
“Like most years in Hockey East, it always comes down to that final weekend to shake things out, and that’s what makes our league special, is that a lot of good teams are fighting for key positions.’’
“Makes for really good hockey and exciting — a little stressful for the coaches — exciting for the players and certainly for the fans.’’
BC, which vaulted to the top of the standings with a four-game winning streak from late January through a 6-4 victory over New Hampshire Feb. 3, fell twice in the Beanpot and sustained a 6-3 home defeat against Merrimack Feb. 10. But the Eagles remain in command going into games against UMass Lowell Thursday and Friday.
“We were pushed and shoved, as we did with the Catamounts,’’ York said. “It was just a hard-fought game. I think we’ve got to get ready for playoff situations like that.
“Again, we’ve put ourselves in a great situation now, the last week of season,’’ said York. “We’re the outlier — Notre Dame and BU 1-2 in preseason — all of a sudden, here’s the guy, you know, sixth and seventh in the preseason polls. And, all of a sudden, we’re playing the last weekend of the season for, not home ice, not to squeak in at a 4 or 5 situation – but to win a championship.’’
