HENRION POWER-PLAY GOAL SENDS NEW HAMPSHIRE PAST BOSTON COLLEGE, 2-1
Senior forward John Henrion nets game-winning goal with 4:48 remaining for Wildcats

Senior forward John Henrion scored the game-winning goal for the Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. - John Henrion (Holden, Mass.) scored a power play goal at 15:12 of the third period to lift the fourth-ranked University of New Hampshire men's hockey team to a 2-1 win over No. 2 Boston College Eagles on Saturday night at the Whittemore Center.

UNH improves to 14-4-2 on the year with a 9-3-1 record in Hockey East action, while the Eagles fall to 13-4-2 overall and to 10-3-1 in conference play. The Wildcats earn their first win over the Eagles since Nov. 5, 2010, a span of six-straight losses. New Hampshire and BC season series is tied at a game apiece.

BC's Kevin Hayes was whistled for tripping at 14:59 and just 13 second later the Wildcats scored. Kevin Goumas (Long Beach, N.Y.) slid the puck to Justin Agosta (East Meadow, N.Y.) at the top of the zone. Agosta fired a one-timer and Henrion was on the doorstep for the rebound shot on the game-winner. New Hampshire held a 1-0 lead for in the third until Boston College got onto the board with a goal by Brooks Dyroff. In a failed attempt to clear the puck by the Wildcat defense, Dyroff smashed a shot to the top right corner of the net, beating DeSmith above his glove, leveling the score at 1-1 at 7:57. It was the first career goal for Dyroff. The Eagles pulled Milner with 1:09 remaining in the game for the extra-skater advantage, however could not capitalize. After three periods of play, the Wildcats battled to a 2-1 win.

In the second period, New Hampshire was given a five-minute power play advantage when defender Michael Matheson made contact to the head with Goumas in the middle of the sheet. Matheson was given a five-minute major and ultimately a game-misconduct. The Eagles did a good job killing off the major penalty including two full minutes of 5-on-3, but it just second later the Wildcats would break the scoreless deadlock at 19:13 of the second. Matt Willows (Congers, N.Y.) tallied his first-career goal on a nifty wrister. Brett Kostolansky (Denver, Colo.) started the play when he fired a pass up the ice to Dan Correale (Prince George, British Columbia). Correale skated with the puck and found Willows on the opposite side of the ice near the net who in turn beat BC goalie Parker Milner on the top shelf. With two periods in the books, the Wildcats held a 1-0 advantage. UNH outshot Boston College 21-3 in the period.

In the first period, the two teams battled back and forth offensively. New Hampshire netminder Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) came up with a big breakaway save on Eagle Johnny Gaudreau as Gaudreau tried to go high on DeSmith's glove side. Through the first period of play, the shot tallies were 10-9 in favor of BC.

DeSmith upped his record to 13-4-2 on the year after making 22 saves on 23 shots faced, including 10 in the first period. Milner received the loss in net, changing his record to 13-4-2 after making 37 saves on the 39 shots faced. New Hampshire was 1-for-7 on the power play while Boston College was 0-for-3 with the advantage.

The Wildcats return to action on Saturday, Jan. 19 when they play host to the Providence College Friars for conference action. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. Tickets to the Providence game and all UNH home games are available online at UNHWildcats.com.