Sophomore forward Ryan Fitzgerald scored a hat trick for the Eagles

Prd	Time	Team	Score	Type	Scored By	Assists
1st	10:13	CON	1-0	PP	Ryan Segalla (2)	Johnny Austin/5, Trevor Gerling/5
2nd	16:40	BC	1-1	PP	Ryan Fitzgerald (10)	Michael Matheson/13, Austin Cangelosi/9
2nd	17:03	CON	2-1	EV	Joona Kunnas (2)	Brent Norris/5, Johnny Austin/6
2nd	19:06	BC	2-2	EV	Ryan Fitzgerald (11)	Austin Cangelosi/10
3rd	12:20	BC	3-2	PP GW	Ryan Fitzgerald (12)	Michael Matheson/14, Teddy Doherty/12

Scoring	1st	2nd	3rd	Final
Connecticut	1	1	0	2
Boston College	0	2	1	3

Shots on Goal	1st	2nd	3rd	SOG
Connecticut	6	7	8	21
Boston College	15	11	11	37

Team Stats and Records	PP	PIM	SHGF
Connecticut (7-12-5)	1/4	5/10	0
Boston College (15-8-2)	2/4	5/10	0

Connecticut Goaltending	MIN	GA	1	2	3	Saves
Rob Nichols (L, 6-12-5)	58:39	3	15	9	10	34
Empty Net	1:21	0

Boston College Goaltending	MIN	GA	1	2	3	Saves
Thatcher Demko (W, 13-7-2)	60:00	2	5	6	8	19

View full box score

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald's hat trick vaulted the No. 19 Boston College men's hockey team to its first victory in program history over Connecticut, 3-2, on Saturday evening at Kelley Rink.

The North Reading, Mass., native tallied a pair of power play goals, including the game-winner, with an even strength marker sandwiched in between to become the first Eagle with a hat trick this season.

Sophomore forward Austin Cangelosi and junior Michael Matheson each logged a pair of assists in the triumph while second-year backstopper Thatcher Demko stopped 19 shots, including one game-saving glove stop within a minute of regulation, to up his record to 13-7-2 on the season.

The Eagles outshot UConn, 37-21, as Huskies' backstopper Rob Nichols blocked 34 shots.

Fitzgerald found the back of the net on two of BC's four power play opportunities while the Huskies finished 1-for-4 with the extra skater.

Boston College did not allow UConn's offense to register a shot until 7:43 if the first period, but shortly thereafter, Ryan Segalla beat Demko through traffic on the power play.

Sophomore Matthew Gaudreau was whistled for high-sticking at 8:53 and the Huskies pounced as the power play was winding down.

Trevor Gerling fished the puck off the near post and back up to Johnny Austin on the left circle. Austin deferred to Segalla for the one-timer and he beat Demko with the sharp wrister and a 1-0 lead at 10:13 of the first period.

The Eagles continued to test Nichols all over the ice and after Derek Pratt took a tripping call at 14:42, Fitzgerald made UConn pay with a nifty move in tight for his third power play rip of the season.

Cangelosi backhanded the puck off the near boards to Matheson atop the left circle. Matheson faked the slap shot but instead, zipped the puck across the zone to Fitzgerald on the far post. Fitzgerald had a tough angle as he possessed behind the goal line, but with Nichols out of position, Fitzgerald crafted a toe drag and tucked it behind the goal line to tie it up, 1-1, on the power play at 16:40.

The Huskies immediately negated Fitzgerald's offering with a Joona Kunnas tally 23 seconds later.

Austin generated the play within the blue line, linking up with Brent Norris on the right circle. Kuunas slipped behind the defense and accepted Norris' dish with a wide open left side of the net. Kunnas took advantage and reclaimed UConn's lead, 2-1, at 17:03 of the second stanza.

Just before the second period was about to expire, Fitzgerald and Cangelosi worked together again to tie it up with 54 seconds left in the middle frame.

Cangelosi took advantage of an errant UConn clearing attempt and crashed the net. Cangelosi tossed the puck on and Fitzgerald was in position to maneuver the carom around Nichols at 19:06 to it up, 2-2, heading into the third period.

Fitzgerald continued his tear on the power play after Kunnas was cited for hooking at 11:40.

The Eagles dominated the entire window and after junior Teddy Doherty and Matheson crafted some room for Fitzgerald up top. Doherty curled the puck down low along the far side and popped it back up to Matheson on the left dot. Fitzgerald lurked on the other side and hammered home the one-timer for the power play game-winner at 12:20 of the third.

Demko held the Eagles in it down the stretch with a particularly sprawling save with traffic in front. UConn lifted Nichols for the extra skater and swarmed BC's net. The Huskies got a clean look right in front with Demko out of position, but he quickly sprung to his other side to preserve the 3-2 triumph for the Eagles.

Boston College will close out the regular season series with Providence next Friday night at Kelley Rink. It will be the Eagles last game before they clash with Northeastern in the first round of the 63rd annual Beanpot Tournament at TD Garden.

Game Notes

- Ryan Fitzgerald scored Boston College's first hat trick of the season and within that trifecta was two power play goals and the game-winner. The North Reading, Mass., native had registered a pair of two-goal performances this season before becoming the first Eagle to record a hat trick since Johnny Gaudreau turned the trick against Denver on March 29, 2014, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Worcester, Mass., last year. Fitzgerald now leads the Eagles with 12 goals on the season and is just one tally shy of matching last year's freshman year total. Fitzgerald also became the first Eagle this season to score a pair of power play goals in a game. Fitzgerald is technically the only player in Boston College's history to have scored a goal against UConn.

- Fitzgerald became the 38th skater in college hockey to record a hat trick this season. Alaska Anchorage's Bret Cameron scored four goals in a game this year.

- Michael Matheson and Austin Cangelosi each recorded a pair of assists in tonight's victory. Cangelosi secured a pair of helpers against UNH on Dec. 6 while Matheson now has a pair of multi-assists games this season (Dec. 5 vs. UNH and & Dec. 13 vs. Michigan).

- Saturday's victory against UConn gave the Eagles their first-ever win over the Huskies.