CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Lindsay Agnew, Megan Keller and Daryl Watts scored goals while Maddy McArthur made 23 saves as the No. 6 Boston College women's hockey team opened Hockey East play by topping Merrimack, 3-1, on Friday night at Kelley Rink. Seven different players had at least one point for the Eagles in the victory.
BC fired away on the opening shift with Erin Connolly getting a good look off a 2-on-1 saved by Samantha Ridgewell and Ryan Little hitting the post. The Warriors found some footing as the frame wore on but a sliding block from Makenna Newkirk in the slot and a disciplined power-play kept it scoreless.
The Eagles finally broke the deadlock with less than a second to play in the period as Agnew's third of the season crossed the goal line with 0.4 seconds remaining. BC held a 12-5 edge in shots on goal after the opening frame.
The Warriors would capitalize on its second woman-advantage opportunity in the second. McArthur's seeing-eye save through traffic with three minutes left kept the game even and gave BC the ability to head into the second intermission with a lead - thanks to Keller's power-play goal with 48 seconds to play.
Watts' strike early in the third pushed the cushion out to two goals and McArthur's slick glove save minutes later on the penalty kill kept it 3-1. Later in the frame, the Eagles killed off a 5-on-3 Merrimack power-play, thanks in part to two blocked shots from Connolly and Newkirk and three saves from McArthur. The freshman netminder had 12 saves in the third period.
BC held a 40-24 edge in shots on goal while Ridgewell finished with 37 saves to McArthur's 23. Both BC (1-for-6) and Merrimack (1-for-7) converted on the power-play.
No. 6 Boston College 3, Merrimack 1
Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 | 6 p.m.
Kelley Rink at Conte Forum | Chestnut Hill, Mass.
SCORING
1st, 19:59.6 | 1-0, BC GOAL: Keller tried to one-time the puck from the right dot but it hit a skate and bounced to Caitrin Lonergan at the bottom of the circle. Lonergan immediately sent the puck back across the top of the crease to Agnew for a tap-in at the left post.
2nd, 10:40 | 1-1, MC GOAL: A power-play shot by Julia Maclean at the blue line made its way through traffic and deflected down at the top of the crease where Megan Fergusson banged the rebound past McArthur.
2nd, 19:12 | 2-1, BC GOAL: From the middle of the blue line, Cayla Barnes worked the puck to Newkirk at the top of the left circle. Newkirk walked the puck to the faceoff dot before threading a pass to a wide open Keller skating to the back post for a tap-in.
3rd, 4:06 | 3-1, BC GOAL: Grace Bizal worked the puck to Lonergan near the goal line and she in turn skated in front for a shot. The rebound popped back below the goal line for Watts to pick up, skate around and stuff it at the right post.
GAME NOTES
- BC is now 12-0-0 all-time against Merrimack with a 7-0-0 mark at Kelley Rink.
- Agnew, Bizal, Barnes and Newkirk all extended their point streaks to four games.
- Lonergan had a game-high six shots on goal while Watts and Barnes registered five each.
- Newkirk led the Eagles with three blocked shots ... BC finished with 10 as a team.
- Newkirk now has 14 career points (7-7-14) against the Warriors ... Watts (5-4-9) and Lonergan (3-5-8) both upped their career totals against Merrimack as well.
- McArthur's 12 saves in the third period mark her highest single-period total since making 13 in the first period of the season on Sept. 28 at Minnesota Duluth.
TEAM RECORDS
Merrimack: 3-1-2, 0-1-1 HEA
Boston College: 4-2-0, 1-0-0 HEA
TEAM RECORDS
The Eagles will host Vermont tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 20, for a 3 p.m. game at Kelley Rink.
