CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Sophomore Oskar Jellvik scored twice in the span of 66 seconds late in the third period to break a 3-3 deadlock as No. 2 Boston College closed the first semester with a 5-4 Hockey East victory over No. 9 Providence on Saturday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd at Kelley Rink.
The Eagles closed the first half with a record of 13-3-1 overall and 6-2-1 in Hockey East, winning six of their final seven games heading into the break. The Friars dropped to 9-5-2 (4-3-2 HEA).
Sophomore Cutter Gauthier registered a three-point game with a goal and two assists, tying his career-high with a seven-game point streak. Freshmen Gabe Perreault and Will Smith each netted power play goals as BC went 3-for-5 on the power play against a stout Providence penalty kill.
Smith opened the scoring at 6:41 of the second period when he took a pass on the weak side from Perreault in the left wing circle and buried a heavy one-timer through the five-hole of Philip Svedeback.
Less than three minutes later, Eamon Powell slipped a pass down the middle of the ice to spring Perreault on a partial breakaway and the rookie lifted a backhander glove side into the roof of the net.
Nick Poisson pulled a goal back for the Friars with 3:01 left in the middle frame as he tipped a left point shot from Guillaume Richard inside the left post, blocker side.
Providence's Jamie Engelbert tied the game 3:51 into the third, sneaking a shot through Jacob Fowler's five-hole from the top of the left circle. The Friars then took their first lead at 8:07 on an Austen May power play one-timer from the center point through traffic.
Gauthier had an immediate answer just 31 seconds later, taking a drop pass from Drew Fortescue along the left wing before snapping a shot to beat Svedeback high glove side.
Jellvik put the Eagles ahead for good from a similar location on the power play with 2:20 left in regulation. Playing the left side of the umbrella, Jellvik took a feed from countryman Jacob Bengtsson and ripped a shot inside the right post from the top of the left circle.
Jellvik added an insurance goal with 1:14 remaining, taking an Andre Gasseau pass from the right corner and tucking a forehand around Svedeback's right pad.
Providence pulled a goal back with an extra skater with 9.6 seconds left but couldn't complete the comeback.
Rookie Ryan Leonard had a game-high six shots for the Eagles, who won the shot battle 33-29.
Saturday's sold out crowd of 7,884 was the fourth sellout in nine home games this season, the most since BC had five sellouts during the 2012-13 campaign.
Boston College hosts Simon Fraser for an exhibition game on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. The regular season commences with a Hockey East home-and-home series against Providence on Jan. 12-13.
