By David F.P. [Modest Image Gallery]
December 6th, 2009

BOSTON, MA- With the crowd of BU faithful packed in tightly to Agganis Arena, with a cluster of gold clad BC fans down in the corner, the traditional rivalry was renewed. In goal for the Eagles, John Muse, and for the Terriers, Kieran Millan.

These reports are offense heavily just because its easier to follow, attempts are made to add defensive plays as well as they are no doubt important to the success of a hockey team, just harder to keep track of. Attempts are made to record as many game happenings as possible, but these reports are by no means exhaustive.

There were few shots on goal in the first few minutes. At 6:32 Philip Samuelsson went in the box for boarding giving BU a power play. Despite the man disadvantage, Matt Lombardi managed a short handed attempt and got Millan out of position, only the shot itself hit behind the net. A BU shot was stopped by a great glove saved by Muse and the penalty was soon over. The back and forth continued, Alex Chiasson was called for an elbowing penalty at 9:19 now giving Boston College the power play. BC had their chances and kept the puck in the zone, Samuelsson was all over the place during the ensuing attacks. All the same the penalty was killed. Kevin Shattenkirk was called for slashing at 12:56 once again putting the home team a man down. Joe Pereira and Nick Bonino both had shorthanded attempts during the penalty kill. Boston College had their attempts as well, though Colby Cohen added another short handed attempt and the penalty was soon killed. With four minutes left in the period BU had 4 shots and BC 5. Chris Connolly shot was saved. Tommy Cross was called for an interference penalty at 17:07. On the power play, Connolly added a close range shot, as did Cohen, and plenty of other Terriers had their chances but the saves kept coming and the penalty was killed as well. At the end of 1, BU had 8 shots and BC 5.

Period 2 started up with the battle of the Bostons continuing. Bonino drew first blood at 2:10 when Bonino swept around the goal with a wraparound assisted by Chiasson and Connolly. Play resumed and Joe Whitney had a shot which was saved. B21 added a shot as well.

Ross Gaudet was called for cross checking at 3:22 giving the Eagles a power play to work with. Carl Sneep and Pat Mullane had some shots. Amidst the power play, the BU pep band broke out into the theme from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the entire student section mounted their imaginary horses to build momentum. The penalty was soon killed, however at 5:43, Bonino was called for hooking giving BC another chance on the power play. Even so Corey Trivino and B11 connected but the shorthanded shot went over the net. Joe Whitney was called for high sticking at 6:52 negating the original penalty. David Warsofsky ended up in front of the net but the shot went wide. Barry Almeida was called for tripping at 7:46 adding to the penalty sequence. With the two man advantage BU went on the attack and Cohen had a couple of shots, however the first penalty expired, and BU kept at it, but also could not score and the second penalty expired to the disappointment of the home fans.

At the half way point in the period BU had 16 shots to BC’s 9. Almeida had a shot which was saved, and Pereira had one as well, as did Steven Whitney. Max Nicastro leveled Brian Gibbons but got called for slashing at 13:08. Mullane had a shot for the Eagles, though Vinny Saponari came up with a short handed try afterward. Zach Cohen blocked a shot with his hands amidst the back and forth. The penalty wrapped up with no points.

Pereira’s breakaway was broken up by the defense. Chris Kreider broke in on goal but it was saved. Saponari’s attack was saved by Muse. Warsofsky’s attempt was broken up was as well.

Boston College got on the board when Sneep sent the puck to the upper right corner of the net at 17:42 assisted by Joe Whitney and Hayes. The rest of the period passed uneventfully with a tire score and BU ahead in shots 19 to 16.

Period 3 opened with a mood killer as Edwin Shea scored at 38 seconds assisted by Atkinson and Mullane. The game proceed and Samuelsson went in the box for slashing at 2:11. There was a scrum in front of the BC net, but no goal was called. BU set up a shot but the D broke it up and despite chances the penalty was killed. Gibbons blocked a shot with his body following that.

Joe Whitney sent the puck into the upper left corner of the BU net at 5:32 to take a 3-1 lead assisted by Hayes and Samuelsson. The chants from the the crowd that BC sucked were having little effect at this point and the small but feisty BC contingent was giving the BU fans heck.

Connolly let a shot fly and Pereira went for the rebound but the net ended up off the anchors. Bonino and Andrew Glass added to the Terrier efforts. At the halfway point in the period BU had 20 shots total and BC 24.

Sneep’s shot went wide of the net, and BU added more chances with no success. Gibbons then delivered a critical blow with his goal assisted by Carey and Dumoulin at 12:37. The Eagles now had a 4 to 1 lead and added to that was BU penalty on Victor Saponari at 13:12 for tripping. Even so Saponari launched a short handed attack, but no goal was scored. The penalty was killed successfully but the home team was running out of time. U9 added a shot in front but it was saved and other attempts came for the red and white, but nothing found the net. Final score was 4 to 1 BC, with the Eagles having 27 shots and BU 31. The fans were then let out into the snowy night sending the BU crowd back up Commonwealth ave and the Eagles up the B branch of the green line to Chestnut Hill.

Of course this will not be the only meeting for the rivals…