CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - 12th-ranked Boston College handed previously undefeated Harvard its first loss of the season on Friday afternoon and extended its own winning streak to seven with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory at a sold out Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
The Eagles trailed 2-0 late in the second period but scored four unanswered goals, including three in a span of just 1:52 to close the middle frame and take their first lead.
BC improved to 9-4-0 (5-2-0 HEA) and retained the third-longest unbeaten streak in the nation, while the sixth-ranked Crimson fell to 6-1-0 (6-0-0 ECAC).
Aapeli Räsänen collected his fifth multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist. 10 other players posted a point in the victory, including goals from Alex Newhook, David Cotton, and the first of the season for Marc McLaughlin. Logan Hutsko extended his career-high point streak to nine games with the primary assist on Räsänen's tally.
Rookie Spencer Knight stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced to extend his personal winning streak to seven straight. Knight and the penalty kill went 3-for-3 in the third period in protection of the lead as BC netted its fourth shorthanded goal of the year through McLaughlin.
Boston College dominated possession in the final three minutes and denied Harvard the chance to pull goaltender Cameron Gornet (24 saves) until the last five seconds of regulation.
Harvard finished with a slim 29-28 edge in shots on goal.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 9:27, HU Goal (0-1) • Henry Bowlby threw a weak-angle attempt off Knight from the left side and Jack Badini came down the slot to whack the rebound low under his pads.
2nd 17:15, HU Goal (0-2) • Jack Drury took a pass from Jack Rathbone on the right doorstep, cut quickly to his forehand, and tucked a shot inside the left post past Knight's blocker on the power play.
2nd 17:35, BC Goal (1-2) • Following a clean faceoff win from Julius Mattila, Hutsko sent a shot-pass into the low slot that was redirected into the right corner by Räsänen for his team-best seventh of the year.
2nd 18:30, BC Goal (2-2) • Mike Hardman drove the left wing and threw the puck off Gornet into the slot, where a well-positioned Newhook one-timed a shot high glove side to knot the score.
2nd 19:27, BC Goal (3-2) • Graham McPhee swung a pass out of the right corner to Mattila in the left circle. The senior then touched a pass back inside to Cotton, who deked against the grain to beat Gornet blocker side on his forehand.
3rd 8:31, BC Goal (4-2) • Patrick Giles muscled past a check at neutral ice and fired a low shot on target from the left wing, and McLaughlin drove the net to knife the rebound past Gornet.
UP NEXT
Boston College begins a home-and-home series with No. 5 Notre Dame on the Heights next Friday night (Dec. 6) at 7 p.m. The series concludes in South Bend on Sunday (Dec. 8) at 5 p.m. to close the first half for the Eagles.
