CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Rookies Alex Newhook and Matt Boldy combined for four goals and eight points in a convincing 6-2 Hockey East win over Merrimack on Saturday as No. 6 Boston College raised the jersey of its all-time leading goal scorer Brian Gionta '01 to the rafters at Kelley Rink.
The Eagles (19-8-1, 12-6-0 HEA) won their third straight game this week and moved into a tie for first place in Hockey East with idle UMass (24 points). The Warriors dropped to 7-21-3 (5-13-3 HEA) following the home-and-home sweep.
Newhook (2-3-5), Boldy (2-1-3) and their rookie linemate Mike Hardman (0-2-2) combined for 10 points and a plus-11 rating as a line in the victory. Freshman defenseman Mitch Andres also collected his first career point with an assist.
The five-point night for Newhook was a career-high and extended his goal and point streaks to six games. Boldy posted his first collegiate multi-goal game and pushed his point streak to five games.
Logan Hutsko tallied his team-leading 17th goal of the year, while Julius Mattila added a shorthanded empty-netter in the third period. The tally was the Eagles' NCAA-leading 10th shorthanded goal of the season as a team.
Spencer Knight stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced to pick up his 18th win in the BC net.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
4:28, BC Goal (1-0) • Newhook slipped a pass across the Merrimack slot to Boldy, who one-timed the puck blocker side to beat Jere Huhtamaa.
10:50, BC Goal (2-0) • Hardman cut above the goal line to spin a low shot off Huhtamaa's pads and Newhook buried the rebound at the left post.
2nd Period
6:40, MC Goal (2-1) • From the right wing, Tyler Drevitch fired a pass to Liam Walsh at the far doorstep as he finished off a 3-on-1 to put MC on the board.
7:38, BC Goal (3-1) • Hutsko picked off a clearing attempt from the Warriors and sniped the top right corner glove side as he drifted down the slot.
17:56, BC Goal (4-1) • Newhook cut to the middle and threw a shot off the pads of Hahtamaa as Boldy finished the loose puck at the right doorstep.
3rd Period
1:28, BC Goal (5-1) • Michael Karow created a shooting angle at the blue line and his fluttering shot hit the left post, but Newhook cleaned up for his second of the night.
15:47, BC Goal (6-1) • Newhook cleared the puck down ice during a penalty kill and Mattila picked it up off the end-wall at the other end for an empty-netter.
17:33, MC Goal (6-2) • Regan Kimens drifted across the Boston College slot and picked out the top right corner glove side from the left wing.
UP NEXT
Boston College begins a home-and-home series with Northeastern next Thursday (Feb. 20) at Matthews Arena. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on NESN.
