CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Freshman Noel Acciari scored the only goal of the first two periods and punctuated a four-goal scoring burst in the third to lead No. 20 Providence to a 5-1 Hockey East victory over fourth-ranked Boston College in the series finale between the teams before a senior-night sellout crowd of 7,884 fans at Kelley Rink.
The victory, Providence's first over Boston College since Feb. 29, 2008, snapped an 18-game BC unbeaten streak (15-0-3) and came on a night in which the host Eagles saluted their dynamic, seven-member senior class of F Pat Mullane, D Patrick Wey, F Steven Whitney, D Patch Alber, F Brooks Dyroff , G Parker Milnerand manager Tom Maguire for four spectacular seasons.
Acciari tallied his fifth goal of the season at 12:56 of the opening period for the visiting Friars, who received a stellar 17-save performance from freshman goaltender Job Gillies, and move right back into a tie with Boston College with 30 points through 25 league games.
After a scoreless middle period, the visiting Friars scored four goals, including two on the power play and one while skating shorthanded, in 3:58 early in the third period to claim a 5-0 lead.
Nick Saracino notched the decisive score on the power play at 1:42, Tom Parisi gave the Friars a 3-1 lead on the power play at 3:17, Chris Rooney scored 17 seconds later and Acciari concluded the scoring burst - his second of the game - with a shorthanded goal at 5:40 to break the game open.
Gillies stopped seven shots in the first, including an amazing stick save on freshman forward Brendan Silk with 7:25 remaining in the period, eight in the middle stanza and two in the final frame to capture the victory. He improves to 14-9-6.
BC senior Parker Milner, making his final regular-season start at Kelley Rink, tallied 21 saves in 45:40 to take the loss. Sophomore Brad Barone stopped all three shots he faced in the final 14:20.
BC scored its lone goal of the game with 1:20 left to play. Quinn Smith notched his seventh of the season off a Travis Jekerebound to nullify Gillies' shutout bid.
PC finished 2-for-7 with a man advantage while BC went 0-for-5.
Next, Boston College travels to Burlington, Vt., for a two-game series to close the 2012-13 Hockey East regular season against Vermont at Gutterson Fieldhouse. The Eagles and Catamounts faceoff on Friday, March 8 and will conclude the two-game series the next night. Both games faceoff at 7 p.m.
Team Records: Providence College 14-11-7, 12-7-6 Hockey East; Boston College 10-10-3, 14-9-2 HE
Game Notes: defenseman Patrick Wey, cut by the blade of a skate late in Friday's 3-2 BC win at Schneider Arena, was a late scratch in Saturday's series finale because of the injury ... forward Steven Whitney, who sustained a thigh contusion at Providence on Friday, skated several shifts before he was sent to the dressing room with 11:53 left in the first period ... defenseman Patch Alber, who underwent knee surgery on Jan. 1, dressed and participated in the senior ceremony. He is in the early stage of his skating rehabilitation.