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Junior forward Aapeli Rasanen had a hat trick and an assist for the Eagles
Rasanen Posts Four Points As Boston College Downs UConn, 5-1
Junior forward Aapeli Rasanen had a hat trick and an assist for the Eagles

HARTFORD, Conn. - Boston College junior Aapeli Rasanen recorded a hat-trick to lead the No. 19 Eagles to a Hockey East weekend sweep of the UConn Huskies with a 5-1 Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford.

The Huskies drop their third-straight to fall to 2-5-1 overall and 1-3-0 in Hockey East. The Eagles take all four points on the weekend and improve to 5-4-0 and 3-2-0 in league as they win their fifth-straight over the Huskies in the all-time series.

Rasanen scored a goal in each period on Saturday and also added an assist to his totals for a four-point day. The Eagles fired 46 shots on UConn goaltender Tomas Vomacka (Trutnov, Czech Republic) and finished 2-of-4 on the power play while defensively, limiting the Huskies to 17 shots, matching their season-low.

Both senior Ben Finkelstein and freshman Mike Hardman each had a goal and an assist in the win. Freshman goaltender Spencer Knight stopped 16 shots to earn the win.

UConn's lone goal on the day came in the second period as freshman Vladislav Firstov (Yaroslavl, Russia) created a turnover and scored unassisted for his second goal of the season. Vomacka finished the day with 41 saves, his second time this season hitting the 40-save mark.


1st Period:

The BC offense had a busy first period, peppering Vomacka with 23 shots to just six for the Huskies. The Eagles put two goals on the board, the first coming from Rasanen at 11:32. BC got an odd man rush and Jack McBain fired on Vomacka who made the initial save while a trailing Rasanen was there to clean up the rebound for his first of two on the night.

BC made it 2-0 at 15:04, scoring their first power play goal of the night. Coming off a face-off in the UConn zone, Julius Mattila fed Finkelstein off the boards and he curled to the top of the right circle and snapped a shot past Vomacka, glove side.


2nd Period:

The Eagles scored on the power play again at the 6:19 mark as Rasanen notched his second of the night. Logan Hutsko teed up a shot from the right circle that Vomacka stopped but Rasanen was right in front to jam home the rebound.

UConn cut the lead down to 3-1 at the 16:41 mark as Firstov picked-up his second of the season. BC looked to clear out of their zone but Firstov broke up a pass at the blue line and burst in on Knight, snapping one past the netminder to end the Huskies' scoring drought.

BC answered right back at 18:46 to push the lead back to three goals as Hardman scored a rebound goal in front. Alex Newhook fired a shot on a break-away chance with Hardman coming on to poke the loose puck rebound in just before Vomacka could cover up for a 4-1 lead.


3rd Period:

The Eagles closed out the scoring in the third period by capitalizing on a UConn turnover. After turning the Huskies over in their zone, Hardman sent a cross-ice pass to Rasanen who buried a one-timer before falling to the ice near the right post to make it 5-1 at 13:15.


Up Next:

UConn is back in action next weekend with a Hockey East home-and-home series on tap with UMass Lowell. The Huskies will host the River Hawks next Friday night, November 15.

Game Summary

Saturday, November 9, 2019

5
1
Game statistics
46 Shots 17
2 / 4 Power Plays 0 / 3
4 / 8 PIM 5 / 10
5-4-0 Records 2-5-1
GOAL SCORERS
Boston College UConn
Aapeli Räsänen (2)
1st/11:32
Ben Finkelstein (1)
1st/16:04 PP GW
Aapeli Räsänen (3)
2nd/6:19 PP
Vladislav Firstov (2)
2nd/16:41
Mike Hardman (2)
2nd/18:46
Aapeli Räsänen (4)
3rd/13:15
GOALTENDERS
Boston College UConn
Spencer Knight
60:00, 16 Saves, 1 GA
(W, 5-4-0)
Tomáš Vomáčka
59:45, 41 Saves, 5 GA
(L, 2-5-1)

Empty Net
0:15, 0 GA