Boston College 5, UConn 4; Eagles Show Up Big Time in OT
Chestnut Hill, MA. -- Even someone like Cutter Gauthier can use some puck luck every now and again. That was exactly the case in Friday's matchup between the #4 ranked Eagles and the UConn Huskies.
The Eagles (7-2-1, 2-1-1) looked to rebound Friday night against the UConn Huskies after their two-game split against the Maine Black Bears last weekend...
After UConn forward Joey Muldowney headed to the box for a roughing minor, the Eagles took full advantage of the early power play. Will Smith grabbed the puck at the top of the point and scanned for options. Eventually dishing it to Ryan Leonard, the puck was off the stick immediately and found the net through a screen to open the scoring.
Just minutes later, Will Vote found himself with fresh legs forechecking hard in the Huskies zone. With one swift stick-lift, Vote dispossessed a Husky defenseman of the puck and fired a pass weak side to a wide-open Drew Fortescue. With plenty of traffic in front of netminder Ethan Haider, Fortescue found a hole, doubling the score.
Following a strong shift from the Eagles, Husky forward Tristan Fraser buried a loose puck at 17:05 of the first cutting the lead to 2-1.
However, the Eagles never backed down as Cutter Gauthier sprinted down the wing and cut toward the slot with options on both sides. With a slick fake drop-pass, Gauthier was able to create time and space opening a passing lane out wide. All it took was a small dish from Gauthier and the puck was off Andre Gasseau's stick, finding the back of the net in a hurry and regaining the Eagles their two-goal lead heading into the first intermission.
Just a couple minutes into the second period, UConn forward Chase Bradley sniped one from the mid-slot cutting the lead to 3-2, and would find the net again a few minutes later collecting his second of the night and tying the game at 3-3.
Shortly after, UConn defenseman Jake Flynn would collect his first of the season on a wrist shot from the high slot to put the Huskies ahead 4-3 going into the third.
Midway through the third period, the Eagles found themselves on the power play once again as they cycled the puck pass-by-pass. On that same sequence, Jack Malone saw Gabe Perreault in the slot and hit him only for Perreault to make an extra one-touch pass to Gauthier who buried the tying goal off of a crazy billard-like bounce off of a UConn body in front.
After a series of chances and even a Colby Ambrosio lacrosse-style goal attempt, the game remained knotted going into OT.
Late in overtime after a series of posts hit by either side, Oskar Jellvik made a slick head fake and found open ice down low. He dodged Haider's poke check but failed to bury the winner. However, in an unexpected turn of events, a UConn player mistakenly centered the puck to a waiting Cutter Gauthier who slammed the winner home for the Eagles 5-4.
The Eagles will look to sweep the Huskies in Storrs, CT. on Saturday at 7 p.m.