NORTH ANDOVER, MA – Benn Ferriero scored three goals and Brian Boyle added a goal and four assists as No. 7/8 Boston College defeated Merrimack College 6-1 in Hockey East action Friday night at Lawler Arena.

Joe Rooney added a goal and two assists for the Eagles, who defeated the Warriors for the ninth-straight time to improve to 12-6-1 (9-4-1 HEA). Freshman J.C. Robitaille (Des Ruisseaux, Quebec) scored for the Warriors, who dropped their third straight to fall to 3-16-2 (3-11-0 HEA).

Ferriero opened the scoring with his ninth goal of the season at 15:30 of the first period. Rooney beat two Merrimack defenders to a loose puck and broke in alone on Watson, who made the initial save. Ferriero was trailing the play and knocked the rebound over Watson to give BC a 1-0 lead.

Brock Bradford gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead just 1:01 into the second period, finishing off a 2-on-1 break with Gerbe for his sixth goal of the year. Bret Motherwell fed Gerbe up the left wing, who slid a pass to Bradford that he shot past Watson.

The Warriors pulled to within a goal at 2-1 on Robitaille’s third power-play goal of the season. With two Eagles in the box, freshman Brandon Sadlowski (St. Paul, Alta.) hit classmate Robitaille at the side of the net, who fed classmate Pat Kimball (Framingham, MA) in front for a shot that was stopped by Schneider. The rebound landed on Robitaille’s stick and he beat Schneider to the blocker side at 12:28.

Less than four minutes later, Ferriero’s second goal of the night helped BC regain a two-goal cushion at 3-1. Taking a pass from Boyle, Ferriero cut down the left side of the ice and beat Watson with a wrister at 16:24. Rooney closed the period with his ninth goal of the season when he walked out of the corner and backhanded a shot that ricochet off a Merrimack skater and past Watson at 18:26.

In the third, Ferriero completed his hat trick when he converted a feed from Rooney into his 11th goal of the season at 3:42 of the period, beating freshman netminder Andrew Brathwaite (Kingston, Ontario). Boyle closed the scoring at 9:13 with a wicked wrister that beat Braithwaite over his right shoulder at 9:13.

Watson made 13 saves as his record fell to 2-6-1 before being replaced by Braithwaite to start the third period. Schneider stopped 16 shots to improve to 12-6-1. The Warriors killed off all seven Eagle power plays while converting one of their three opportunities.

The Warriors return to action next Friday night when they host Boston University at 7 p.m.