NEW HAMPSHIRE TIES UP BOSTON COLLEGE, 4-4
Carl Sneep scores twice for Eagles; Bobby Butler ties game for UNH

Bobby Butler tied the game in the final minute for UNH

DURHAM, N.H. - Bobby Butler (Marlboro, Mass.), a forward on the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team, scored a game-tying goal with just under a minute to play, lifting the Wildcats to a 4-4 overtime tie against No. 16 Boston College, Friday night at the Whittemore Center.

With the tie, the Wildcats stay unbeaten in Hockey East play, moving to 2-4-2 overall and 2-0-1 in conference play. As for the Eagles, they move to 2-2-1 overall and 1-2-1 in Hockey East action.

Brett Kostolansky (Denver, Colo.) ignited the play as he played the puck up to Phil DeSimone (East Amherst, N.Y.) at the left circle, who found an open Butler in the slot, as the forward buried the puck in the back of the net with just 52.3 seconds remaining in regulation.

For the Wildcats, the score was just one of three goals UNH posted in the final period, as they outshot the Eagles for the first time in the game, with an 11 to 10 advantage in the stanza.

New Hampshire's first tally of the period came when Peter Leblanc (Hamilton, Ontario) and Kostolansky set up Mike Sislo (Superior, Wis.) with a shot in the slot, as he fired the puck home, burying it into the right corner of the net at 4:16, cutting the score to 4-2 in favor of the visitors.

Moments later the 'Cats were at it again, as Butler hit Paul Thompson (Derry, N.H) with a pass deep in the UNH zone in front of the net, as he tried to punch the puck into the net but was turned away by BC goalkeeper John Muse. Thompson picked up the rebound off the missed opportunity and put it past Muse on the second try, striking the back of the net at 8:15.

The Eagles drew first blood in the contest, as Tommy Cross shifted the puck over to Cam Atikinson just above the blue line, then flicked it back to Cross, who punched the puck into the back of the net from the left circle at the eight minute mark.

Moments later, Boston College would strike again as Brian Dumoulin hit Brian Gibbons with a pass on the left circle. Gibbons took the puck and pushed it over to Carl Sneep just past the blue line, firing the puck past UNH goalkeeper Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) at 10:23.

The Eagles would add to their lead minutes later as Paul Carey picked up a puck in the right corner of the UNH zone, shoveling it over to Sneep, who would fire a shot from just above the right circle into the back of the net, for his second goal of the night, at 14:38.

However, BC's three goal advantage wouldn't stand for long, as UNH would strike first in the second stanza, as LeBlanc found the back of the net at 4:47. Damon Kipp (Salmon Arm, B.C) initiated the score as he forwarded a pass up ice to Sislo who hit an oncoming Leblanc just in front the net, who fired the puck but was turned away, then picked up his own rebound and put it past Muse.

BC would increase their lead to three once again later in the period, as Gibbons brought the puck into the UNH zone and slid it over to Ben Smith in front of the goal in the slot, putting the puck past Foster at the right side of the crease at 13:31.

The Eagles notched 36 shots in the game, while the Wildcats finished with 31. Steven Whitney led Boston College with four shots in the contest. As for UNH, LeBlanc finished with six shots of his own.

Foster compiled 32 saves in the game, including 15 in the first period and 10 in the third. Muse stopped 27 shots on net, including 10 in the first period.

UNH returns to action on Sunday Nov.8 (5 p.m.) against Hockey East foe UMass-Lowell. The game will be broadcasted live from the Tsongas Arena on ESPNU.