GOAL BY GOAL: Boston College Hockey Falls 3-1 To Wisconsin

With 5 of the first 6 games on the road for BC, there’s a good opportunity to pick up some big Pairwise points, given the new home/road weighting that went into effect a couple seasons ago. But it’s been a mixed back so far.

After a great win last week against #3 Denver, the Eagles kicked off the weekend with a 3-1 loss on the road to Wisconsin in a game where the offense — and the power play in particular — really struggled to get anything going.

Wisconsin Goal #1: 4:27 of the 1st period
Grant Besse (Cameron Hughes, Jake Linhart)

UW 1, BC 0

Special teams absolutely killed the Eagles in this game. It all started just a few minutes in with a Too Many Men On The Ice penalty for BC that the Badgers converted on immediately.

Grant Besse sets up shop on the goal line, and he’s got a little bit too much space to work with after receiving the pass. He curls around for a point blank shot on Joe Woll, and while Woll does make the initial save, the puck pops right back to Besse on the rebound, and he’s able to (impressively) lift it over Woll’s shoulder from in close.

Wisconsin Goal #2: 19:47 of the 2nd period
Ryan Wagner (Tim Davison, Seamus Malone)

UW 2, BC 0

The game stayed pretty even from there, but more penalties did BC in late in the 2nd period.

Two penalties on the same play for the Eagles handed the Badgers a full two minutes of 5 on 3 to end the 2nd period, and it was too much for BC to handle.

It’s a shame, because the penalty kill started out beautifully for BC. The Eagles got two clears right off the back while down two skaters, and nearly got a third just prior to the goal. But there were just too many Badger and not enough Eagles on this play, and with just 13 seconds to go in the period, and BC’s offense struggling, it sure felt like that just about took the Eagles out of contention.

Wisconsin Goal #3: 9:18 of the 3rd period
Seamus Malone (Tim Davison)

UW 3, BC 0

BC did start out strong in the third period, but Wisconsin got the goal to put BC away.

The Eagles didn’t do themselves any favors with blocking a Badger into Joe Woll right as the puck came back out for a rebound, and with Woll down on the ice, it was an easy shot over the pile of humanity for Wisconsin to go up by 3.

Boston College Goal #1: 9:30 of the 3rd period
JD Dudek (Chris Calnan)

UW 3, BC 1 -- FINAL

BC did pull one out of their hat just 12 seconds later, though, to keep themselves in the game. Jerry York did a great job of keeping the team’s heads in it.

You can tell that right off the draw, Chris Calnan feels like there’s still something to play for. He just beats the Badger to the puck in the corner and sends it out front where there are a pair of Eagles ready for the shot.

Dudek’s first shot was stopped, but he picked up the rebound for the goal to break up the shutout.

BC did get themselves another chance or two before all was said and done, but special teams really took the wind out of their sails. In addition to giving up the first two goals of the game on the penalty kill, BC went 0 for 6 on their own power play. Given the insane number of penalties that have been called thus far this season across NCAA hockey — and that show no signs of slowing up — it is going to be critical for BC to both stay out of the box and fix their power play if they hope to contend nationally.

BC will finish up the weekend Sunday afternoon, with the game shown in HDTV on ESPNU. Puck drop is at 4pm EDT.