CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Julius Mattila's one-timer off a feed from his twin brother Jesper Mattila early in the third period proved to be the game-winner for Boston College in a 4-2 Hockey East victory over No. 7 Providence in front of nearly 6,200 fans on Friday night at Kelley Rink.
The Eagles (7-9-2, 7-1-2 HEA) remained tied with UMass, a 4-1 winner over Vermont at home, atop the Hockey East standings with 16 points. The BC win also snapped an eight-game unbeaten streak for Providence (12-5-4, 6-3-1 HEA).
Junior Joseph Woll made 28 saves to pick up his 40th career victory in net.
BC's penalty kill was 5-for-5, including a full two minute 5-on-3 in the second period, and senior Michael Kim netted a shorthanded goal. David Cotton (1 G, 1 A) and Mattila (1 G, 1 A) finished with multi-point nights on the top line.
Cotton scored just 12 seconds into the game to open the scoring, but Providence answered with a pair to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Kim's shorthanded one-timer tied the game just three minutes into the middle frame, and the Eagles' kill preserved that score with three straight in the final six minutes of the period. The Friars hit the left post twice on a two-man advantage for two minutes, but Woll and the Eagles cleared the danger.
The Mattila brothers linked up at 1:29 of the third period, and BC played confidently with the lead down the stretch. Christopher Brown's empty-netter from center ice sealed the points with 90 seconds left on the clock.
Kim's goal was the first by a BC defenseman this season, while fellow tri-captain Casey Fitzgerald collected his 75th career point with an assist. St. Lawrence transfer Ben Finkelstein made his BC debut on the blue line.
Boston College dominated at the faceoff dot, winning two-thirds of the draws (42-for-63).
SCORING
0:12 1st, BC Goal (1-0) | Logan Hutsko created a turnover deep in the Providence zone and fed Cotton in the left wing circle as the junior deked backhand and lifted a shot into the upper right corner
12:59 1st, PC Goal (1-1) | Josh Wilkins finished a centering pass from Jack Dugan from the top of the crease to knot the score
18:06 1st, PC Goal (1-2) | After a BC turnover at neutral ice, Jay O'Brien darted into the offensive zone down the right wing, cut to his backhand, and beat Woll low blocker side to give the Friars the lead
2:57 2nd, BC Goal (2-2) | With the Eagles shorthanded, Cotton found the trailer Kim at the top of the right wing circle and the captain's heavy one-timer beat Hayden Hawkey (19 saves) glove side
1:28 3rd, BC Goal (3-2) | Jesper Mattila slipped a pass into the high slot for his twin brother Julius, who rifled a low one-timer off the right post and in to put BC back on top
18:31 3rd, BC Goal (4-2) | Brown skated onto a loose puck at center ice and gained the red line before wristing a shot into an empty Providence net to seal the points
UP NEXT
The Eagles hit the road on Saturday (Jan. 12) to face New Hampshire at the Whittemore Center. The game will be televised at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ from Durham.
