LOWELL, MA (Feb. 24, 2007) – Brock Bradford (Burnaby, BC) had two goals, including the game-winner, as Boston College defeated UMass Lowell, 4-3, Saturday night in college hockey action at the Tsongas Arena.
The Eagles improve to 20-11-1 overall and 16-8-1 in Hockey East with the win. The loss drops the River Hawks to 7-21-6 overall and 6-16-3 in league play.
In addition to Bradford’s two goals, Matt Greene (Plymouth, MA) and Brian O’Hanley (Quincy, MA) scored for the Boston College. Brett Motherwell (St. Charles, IL) and Brian Boyle (Hingham, MA) each had two helpers for the Eagles.
Ben Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, CO), who had a goal and two assists, Mark Roebothan (St. John's, NF) and Kory Falite (Billerica, MA) scored for the River Hawks. Nick Schaus (Orchard Park, NY) had two assist for UML.
UML opened the scoring midway through the first period when Holmstrom re-directed a pass from Nick Schaus. Roebothan picked up the secondary assist on the goal.
The Eagles scored four unanswered goals to build a 4-1 lead midway through the second period. Greene tallied the first goal for BC at 17:04 of the first period and Bradford netted the first of his two strikes just 1:53 into the second stanza.
O’Hanley made it 3-1 at 8:29 of the second when his straight-on shot from the blue line found its way past UML goaltender Nevin Hamilton (Ashland, MA). Boyle picked up the first of his two assists on the goal.
Boyle notched his second assist of the game just two minutes later – at 10:40 – on Bradford’s second tally of the night. Motherwell also assisted on the goal, which turned out to be the game-winner.
The River Hawks fought their way back into the game with a goal late in the second and one early in the third. Roebothan got his sixth of the season at 17:07 of the second when he re-directed a Holmstrom’s blue line shot at the top of the face-off circles. Holmstrom and Schaus had the assists.
Just 25 seconds into the third, the Falite made it a one-goal game when he pounced on a rebound and beat BC netminder Cory Schneider (Marblehead, MA) on a UML power play. Jeremy Dehner (Madison, WI) and Holmstrom assisted on the goal.
Schneider had 26 saves to earn his 20th win of the season. Hamilton took the loss with 10 saves on 14 shots in 30 minutes of play. Carter Hutton (Thunder Bay, ON) played the final 28:23 of the game, making 11 saves and allowing no goals.
UML out-shot BC 29 to 25 for the game. Boston College went 2-for-5 on the power play. UMass Lowell was 1-for-5 on the man-advantage.
“I thought it was a game that we deserved better," said UML head coach Blaise MacDonald. "I thought we played very well. We had plenty of opportunities nad looks that we just didn’t convert. BC had some good fortune. We had our chances, but we just couldn’t finish right down to the last second. The difference is their two power plays. That was pretty much the difference. I thought Ben Holmstrom was just awesome for us tonight. And Carter Hutton did a great job coming in for Nevin (Hamilton). If we can take that effort next weekend, I think we’ll be in pretty good shape.
Saturday’s contest was the final Tsongas Arena appearance for six UML seniors – J.R. Bria (Monroe, CT), Todd Fletcher (Chelmsford, MA), Jeremy Hall (Mays Landing, NJ), Cleve Kinley (Powell River, BC) and Jason Tejchma (Muskegon, MI).
The River Hawks conclude their regular season next weekend with two games at the University of Vermont. The Eagles have a home-and-home with New Hampshire to finish up their regular season.