LOWELL, Mass. (Feb. 16, 2008) - Ben Smith (Avon, Conn.) scored two goals and Joe Whitney (Reading, Mass.) had four assists as No. 7 Boston College defeated No. 18 UMass Lowell, 5-2, Saturday night in Hockey East action at the Tsongas Arena.
The Eagles improve to 16-7-7 overall and 10-5-6 in league play with the win. The River Hawks fall to 13-11-4 overall and 8-9-4 in Hockey East with the loss.
In addition to Smith, Dan Bertram (Calgary, Alb.), Benn Ferriero (Essex, Mass.) and Kyle Kucharski (Saugus, Mass.) scored for Boston College. The four assists are a career high for Whitney. Smith also added an assist to his totals.
Ben Holmstrom (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Barry Goers (Ivyland, Pa.) scored for UML.
The River Hawks built a 2-0 lead scoring goals one minute and 22 second apart in the first period before the Eagles scored five unanswered goals.
Holmstrom opened the scoring with a power play goal, his fifth of the season at 14:16. Jeremy Dehner (Madison, Wis.) and Maury Edwards (Rocky Rapids, Alb.) assisted on the tally.
Goers made 2-0 at 16:08 with assists from Jason DeLuca (East Moriches, N.Y.) and Jonathan Maniff (Revere, Mass.).
Of the five unanswered goals for BC, three came on power plays beginning with Bertram's tally at 1:50 of the second period. Smith and Whitney picked up the assists.
Ferriero followed with a power play marker at 10:42 from Whitney and Nathan Gerbe (Oxford, Mich.). And Smith capped the second period scoring with a man-advantage goal at 15:57. Bertram and Whitney had the assists.
Kucharski and Smith added to BC's lead with goals midway through the third period. Kucharski scored at 10:39 and Smith scored at 13:18. Andrew Orpik (East Amherst, N.Y.) assisted on Kucharski’s goal. And Whitney and Carl Sneep (Nisswa, Minn.) assisted on the goals.
John Muse (East Falmouth, Mass.) made 15 saves to earn his 16th win of the season.
Nevin Hamilton (Ashland, Mass.) stopped 18 BC shots but suffered his sixth loss of the season. Jon Dryjowicz-Burek (Ludlow, Mass.) played the final 6:42 in relief and made four saves.
The Eagles out-shot the River Hawks 27 to 17 for the game, including 15 to 2 in the second period.
BC was 3-for-6 on the power play. The three power play goals scored by the Eagles was the first time this season that the River Hawks have surrendered three man-advantage goals in a game. UML was 1-for-6 on the power play.
Goers extended his point streak to four games (0g, 5a). Edwards has a three game point streak (1g, 2a). Holmstrom has points in seven of the last nine games (3g, 6a).
The River Hawks return to the ice Friday night for the first of two home games against the University of Vermont. The Eagles host New Hampshire for two games beginning Friday night.