Gustafsson's Five Points Send Merrimack Past Boston College, 6-3
Senior forward Hampus Gustafsson records hat trick and two assists for Warriors

Senior forward Hampus Gustafsson had a hat trick and two assists for the Warriors
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 3:38  MER1-0 EV Hampus Gustafsson (12)Brett Seney/15, Marc Biega/2
1st 8:36  MER2-0 EV Hampus Gustafsson (13)Brett Seney/16, Sami Tavernier/7
1st 10:06  MER3-0 EV Mathieu Tibbet (5)Michael Babcock/4, Alex Carle/6
1st 12:42  BC1-3 EV Matthew Gaudreau (7)Austin Cangelosi/12, Ryan Fitzgerald/16
1st 18:20  BC2-3 EV Austin Cangelosi (13)Ryan Fitzgerald/17, Scott Savage/14
2nd 15:37  MER4-2 EV GW Sami Tavernier (4)Hampus Gustafsson/9, Brett Seney/17
3rd 12:11  BC3-4 PP Austin Cangelosi (14)Ryan Fitzgerald/18, Colin White/11
3rd 13:21  MER5-3 EV Hampus Gustafsson (14)Marc Biega/3, Alex Carle/7
3rd 19:31.8 MER6-3 EV EN Michael Babcock (5)Marc Biega/4, Hampus Gustafsson/10
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Merrimack  3126
Boston College  2013
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Merrimack  710320
Boston College  961732
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Merrimack (11-13-5)  0/3 3/6 0
Boston College (18-11-2)  1/2 4/8 0
Merrimack Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Collin Delia (W, 5-5-2)60:003 761629
Boston College Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Joseph Woll10:063 3003
Ryan Edquist (L, 4-2-1)49:332 19111
Empty Net0:211     

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Senior forward Hampus Gustafsson scored three goals and added two assists to lead Merrimack College to a 6-3 victory against Boston College on Friday night at Kelley Rink.

SCORE

Merrimack - 6 / No. 7 Boston College - 3

LOCATION

Kelley Rink at Conte Forum / Chestnut Hill, Mass.

RECORDS

Merrimack (11-13-5 / 4-7-5) / No. 7 Boston College - (18-11-2 / 13-4-1)

BC HIGHLIGHTS & GAME NOTES

- Austin Cangelosi accounted for his fourth multi-goal game of the season, his first since netted a hat trick at Maine on Nov. 5. The Estero, Fla. native's two goals now put the senior centerman at 50 goals for his career. Cangelosi is four career goals away from tying for 50th all-time in the Boston College career goal-scoring chart.

- One of Cangelosi's goals was a power play for Boston College. The extra-man marker ended a seven-game power play goal-scoring drought. The last time BC scored on the power play was at Fenway Park against Providence.

- Ryan Fitzgerald recorded his third-career playmaker (three assists), helping out on all three Eagles' goals on Friday night. The North Andover, Mass. native now has two playmakers in his career, his first coming last year against Providence on Jan. 8, 2016. The Eagles have accounted for eight playmakers, as a team, this season.

- Merrimack's victory ended a 30-game winless spell for the Warriors at Kelley Rink. The Warriors were winless, going 0-27-3 in those games on The Heights. The last victory Merrimack secured at Kelley Rink before Friday was on Oct. 31, 1997.

- Hampus Gustafsson scored a hat trick in the win. The last opponent to score a hat trick against the Eagles was Harvard's Alex Kerfoot on Nov. 11, 2014.

GOAL DESCRIPTIONS

FIRST GOAL (1-0 - MC) FIRST PERIOD - Hampus Gustafsson - 3:38 - EVEN STRENGTH

- Merrimack struck 3:38 into regulation in transition, benefitting from a loose puck in front. Marc Biega carried the puck into Boston College's zone and ripped the initial attempt on Joseph Woll. The puck bobbled around a bit and Brett Seney got his stick into the fray, pinballing it out to Hampus Gustafsson on the goalmouth Gustafsson swatted it in for the early 1-0 Merrimack advantage.

SECOND GOAL (2-0 - MC) FIRST PERIOD - Hampus Gustafsson - 8:36 - EVEN STRENGTH

- Gustafsson made his presence felt against almost five minutes later to make it a 2-0 affair. Sami Tavernier gained the zone and linked up with Seney in stride. Seney tested Woll in tight and Woll attempted to bat it away, but it took an off-kilter hop and Gustafsson was in position to pounce on the goal mouth at 8:36 to double the Warriors' lead.

THIRD GOAL (3-0 - MC) FIRST PERIOD - Mathieu Tibbet - 10:06 - EVEN STRENGTH

- Exactly a minute and a half after Gustafsson's second tally, Mathieu Tibbet made it a 3-0 Merrimack lead, converting a 2-on-1 with Michael Babcock. Alex Carle jostled the puck loose deep in Boston College's end and Tibbet snared it and charged into BC's end with Babcock flanking. Tibbet handed it off to Babcock for the one-timer in stride. Woll made the first stop on Babcock, but Tibbet was right there on the near post to put back the carom at 10:06. Following the third goal, head coach Jerry York opted for BC netminder Ryan Edquist.

FOURTH GOAL (3-1 - BC) FIRST PERIOD - Matthew Gaudreau - 12:42 - EVEN STRENGTH

- Boston College stopped the bleeding on a quick goal at 12:42 of the first period. Ryan Fitzgerald generated the play from the neutral zone, lifting the stick of a Warrior, pilfering the puck and turned it up to Austin Cangelosi on the blue line. Mattthew Gaudreau slipped in front of the defense and was able to beat Merrimack goaltender Collin Delia on the tip in front to make it 3-1.

FIFTH GOAL (3-2 - BC) FIRST PERIOD - Austin Cangelosi - 18:20 - EVEN STRENGTH

- The Eagles responded once against with 1:40 left to play in the opening stanza. Scott Savage settled the puck behind the Eagles' net and R. Fitzgerald swooped behind to grab it and fly through the neutral zone. Cangelosi joined the play, accepted R. Fitzgerald's dish and popped it over Delia's shoulder on the crease at 18:20 to make it a one-goal game, 3-2, heading into first intermission.

SIXTH GOAL (4-2 - BC) SECOND PERIOD - Sami Tavernier - 15:37 - EVEN STRENGTH

- Sami Tavernier reclaimed Merrimack's two-goal cushion with 4:23 to play in the second period. Seney broke up a Boston College breakout and chipped it to Gustafsson streaking down the middle. Gustafsson dropped off behind to Tavernier and he beat Edquist to make it a 4-2 contest at 15:37 of the second period.

SEVENTH GOAL (4-3 - BC) THIRD PERIOD - Austin Cangelosi - 12:11 - POWER PLAY

- The Eagles cashed in on their second power play opportunity of the night at the 12:11 mark of the third period. Cangelosi won a faceoff in Merrimack's zone and shoved it behind the Warriors net for Colin White to give chase. White won a battle, getting the puck to R. Fitzgerald on the near post. R. Fitzgerald triggered on Delia, got his own rebound back and connected with Cangelosi on the far post for put-back goal to make it 4-3 on the power play.

EIGHTH GOAL (5-3 - MC) THIRD PERIOD - Hampus Gustafsson - 13:21 - EVEN STRENGTH

- Gustafsson capped off his hat trick at 13:21 on a feed from Marc Biega. Alex Carle gained the zone, connected with Biega up front and he deferred to Gustafsson in the slot. Gustafsson beat Edquist from between the circles at 13:21 to reclaim the two-goal pad, 5-3.

NINTH GOAL (6-3 - MC) THIRD PERIOD - Michael Babcock - 19:31 - EMPTY NET

- Michael Babcock iced the victory with an empty-net goal with 29 seconds to go. Gustafsson blocked a shot and the puck caromed out to Biega on the halfwall. Biega sent it up the boards where Babcock chased it down and put it away for the 6-3 Warriors' win.

BOSTON COLLEGE GAME LEADERS

Points: Austin Cangelosi (2 - 1 - 3) / Ryan Fitzgerald (0 - 3 - 3)

Goals: Austin Cangelosi (2 - 1 - 3)

Assists: Ryan Fitzgerald (0 - 3 - 3)

Shots: Connor Moore ( 5 )

Faceoffs Won: Julius Mattila (12 - of - 19)

SPECIAL TEAMS

Merrimack: 0 - for - 3

Boston College: 1 - for - 2

PENALTIES

Merrimack: 3 - of - 6 Boston College: 4 - of - 8

BOSTON COLLEGE LINES

McPhee - White - Dudek
R. Fitzgerald - Cangelosi - Brown
Cotton - Jul Mattila - Calnan
Greco - Booth - Walker

McInnis - Savage
Campoli - Kim
Jes. Mattila - C. Fitzgerald

Woll
Edquist
Milosz

UP NEXT

Boston College will close out the 65th Beanpot Tournament against Northeastern on Monday, Feb. 13 in the consolation contest at 4:30 at TD Garden. Following the Beanpot, the Eagles have only two regular-season series left. BC hosts No. 15 Vermont for a pair on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18 before Senior Night against No. 9 UMass Lowell on Thursday, Feb. 23. Boston College closes the regular season at Tsongas Center against Lowell at 8:30 p.m. live on NESN and TSN.