GOAL BY GOAL: Boston College Hockey Rides Fast Start To 6-3 Win Over Merrimack

There was no Beanpot hangover for the Eagles on Friday night.

With Miles Wood suspended and Chris Calnan still in the stands recovering from a lower body injury, it would almost be forgivable if BC came out and laid an egg against Merrimack after Tuesday's wild, emotional 1-0 overtime win in the Beanpot over BU. But what we got was the exact opposite.

Boston College exploded for four goals in the first period on their way to a decisive 6-3 win Friday night over Merrimack at Conte Forum.

Boston College Goal #1: 1:38 of the 1st period
Adam Gilmour (Ryan Fitzgerald, Austin Cangelosi)

BC 1, MC 0

It took almost no time at all for BC to get on the board.

Ryan Fitzgerald gets a poor Merrimack defenseman turned entirely the wrong way on a cut back toward the middle of the ice. Too many Merrimack defensemen follow him as Gilmour comes in as the trailer and Fitzgerald drops it back to him.

That same Warrior defenseman who Fitzgerald turned around is now overcompensating trying to keep on his man when other Merrimack players have already picked up the slack. That allows Gilmour open ice in front of the net and he fires home the goal.

Boston College Goal #2 (PPG): 5:27 of the 1st period
Zach Sanford (Adam Gilmour, Scott Savage)

BC 2, MC 0

Looking back it seems impossible, but BC only had one power play the whole night, early in the first period. But they did convert to start extending their lead.

Gilmour gets the puck behind the net and starts to take it out, keeping an eye out front. This isn't really the best defense by Merrimack -- Zach Sanford sees Gilmour coming around and goes to the net to give him a target.

He skates straight through all four Merrimack defenders, none of whom even give him a second glance, and Gilmour sends the puck across the crease to give Sanford an easy backhand goal.

Boston College Goal #3 (Penalty Shot): 8:57 of the 1st period
Austin Cangelosi (Unassisted)

BC 3, MC 0

Cangelosi used almost the exact same move against Boston University less than a month ago, although I suppose even if you know what's coming it won't make a difference given that he does that quick stickhandling for a good three seconds before he shoots.

The best part of the goal is obviously that Fiddle Kid celebration. Nice one. Nice.

Boston College Goal #4 (SHG, GWG): 16:36 of the 1st period
Colin White (Matty Gaudreau, Casey Fitzgerald)

BC 4, MC 0

This is most definitely my favorite goal of the night.

Colin White is the first guy with the puck dishing the puck cross ice to Matty Gaudreau. Then White leaves the frame and a couple seconds later he's in the net credited with the goal.

Two main parts to this:

1) Colin White busts his ass getting up ice. After the pass, Ethan Spaxman, the Merrimack defenseman, gets caught puck watching. He's still on White, but the problem for him is that White is already past him by the time he gives him a second look.

2) Oh my, what a pass from Matty Gaudreau. I could probably put the puck into an empty net like one time out of ten from that angle, and Gaudreau places the puck in the only place where White can have a chance to one time this in.

White's bowling into the goalie wasn't even reviewed -- it was immediately called a good goal.

With that, BC had scored every way possible (PP, ES, SH, and PS) other than the empty netter. It seemed like BC thought that would be enough for them to cruise through the rest of the game.

Not a good mindset.

Merrimack Goal #1 (4v4): 18:21 of the 1st period
Jared Kolquist (Jace Hennig, Ben Bahe)

BC 4, MC 1

With the four goal lead, BC should have focused on keeping the shutout for Thatcher Demko over the next 45 minutes or so, but instead they lifted their foot off the gas and Merrimack didn't quite go away.

It's a 4 on 4 goal but it looks like a power play, partially due to the open ice. Kolquist uses the extra time and space to move himself toward the top of the faceoff circle to give himself a better angle, and in doing so he puts two white jerseys and one... well, dark colored jersey, whatever color that's supposed to be, right in between him and Thatcher Demko.

The puck looks like it finds its way all the way through and it puts Merrimack on the board going into the first intermission.

Merrimack Goal #2: 14:55 of the 2nd period
Marc Biega (Alex Carle, Brett Seney)

BC 4, MC 2

BC's lackadaisical play carried on into the 2nd period where they were outshot 10-8 by Merrimack and found themselves with their lead cut in half before heading into the final intermission.

It's really not unlike the Warriors' first goal -- Merrimack gets the puck to a player up high in space who takes a shot into traffic from the top of the faceoff circle. It's the other end of the ice, but the result was the same.

It wasn't quite time to get nervous, but a quick chat from Coach York in the locker room got them back on track... at least for a little while.

Boston College Goal #5: 0:13 of the 3rd period
Alex Tuch (Zach Sanford, Steve Santini)

BC 5, MC 2

BC gave themselves a little more breathing room right off the opening draw of the third period. The pass in from Santini looks like it catches the stick of Sanford and bloops right in on goal.

The Merrimack defender has the wrong reaction -- he's turning to go for the puck at just the wrong time -- and Tuch burns in onside across the blue line way past his man. Merrimack goalie Collin Delia looks like he has everything sealed off, but the puck finds a hole through for the goal.

Boston College Goal #6: 10:43 of the 3rd period
Zach Sanford (Michael Kim, Steve Santini)

BC 6, MC 2

Good battles everywhere from BC on this goal. It starts along the wall as Sanford wins the puck back to the blue line after Delia tries to clear. Then after Kim's initial shot, Sanford skates around everyone as Doherty sets a little pick on his man in the slot.

That puts Sanford all on his own for the rebound, and he doesn't miss.

Merrimack Goal #3: 15:36 of the 3rd period
Marc Biega (Derek Petti, Chris LeBlanc)

BC 6, MC 3 -- FINAL

Merrimack didn't go quietly. This is just chaos everywhere, and it's a wonder Demko didn't lose his stick (or anything else) in this mad scramble around the net. By the time the puck gets out to the shooter, there is a pile of humanity out front and Demko has no chance of seeing this puck through.

Somehow it goes through everyone to give the Warriors a consolation goal for their efforts in the third period.

When all was said and done they outshot BC 14-7 in the third period and 33-25 overall. That's not very good for BC, but what's more concerning was their relative lack of effort after they went up 4-0 early. Merrimack is really not that good of a team, hanging out in UMass land toward the bottom of the Hockey East standings, and regardless of the game situation it's not a team who should be outshooting you.

BC will get Miles Wood back Saturday night (but not Chris Calnan) which should help their offense (and also their penalty numbers). Traditionally, Merrimack is a surprisingly good home team, and this year is no exception. They are 5-4-4 at home and just 3-11-2 away from the friendly confines of Lawler Rink.

BC will need to watch out for a potential trap game and come out hot once again to come away with a season sweep of the Warriors.