| Prd | Time | Team | Score | Type | Scored By | Assists |
| 2nd | 1:15 | BC | 1-0 | EV | Adam Gilmour (7) | Noah Hanifin/11, Zach Sanford/12 |
| 2nd | 17:20 | BC | 2-0 | EV GW | Chris Calnan (11) | Scott Savage/3 |
| 3rd | 2:05 | MER | 1-2 | PP | Jace Hennig (7) | Hampus Gustafsson/12, Dan Kolomatis/10 |
| Scoring | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final |
| Merrimack | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Boston College | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Shots on Goal | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | SOG |
| Merrimack | 8 | 5 | 10 | 23 |
| Boston College | 11 | 11 | 10 | 32 |
| Team Stats and Records | PP | PIM | SHGF |
| Merrimack (13-7-2) | 1/2 | 3/6 | 0 |
| Boston College (14-8-2) | 0/3 | 3/6 | 0 |
| Merrimack Goaltending | MIN | GA | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saves |
| Rasmus Tirronen (L, 9-4-1) | 58:55 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 30 |
| Empty Net | 1:05 | 0 |
| Boston College Goaltending | MIN | GA | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saves |
| Thatcher Demko (W, 12-7-2) | 60:00 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 22 |
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - No. 19 Boston College kept its lengthy home unbeaten streak against No. 14 Merrimack intact with a gritty 2-1 victory on Wednesday night at Kelley Rink.
The Eagles have posted a 26-0-3 mark in Chestnut Hill in the last 29 encounters against Merrimack. The Warriors' last triumph on The Heights took place on Oct. 31, 1997.
Sophomore Chris Calnan accounted for his fourth game-winning goal of the season after slipping one past Warrior goaltender Rasmus Tirronen with 2:40 left in the second period while classmate Adam Gilmour logged his fifth goal in his seventh outing early in the second.
Rookie blueliner Noah Hanifin extended his point streak to four games with the helper on Gilmour's game-opening marker while second-year defenseman Scott Savage obtained his third point of the season. Rookie forward Zach Sanford notched his 12th assist of the season, tying for the Eagle lead in that category.
The Eagles were held scoreless on their three power play opportunities while MC's only goal came on one of its two extra man chances.
Sophomore goaltender Thatcher Demko put on a display with 22 stops, steering away several pucks through traffic including a penalty shot.
The first period unfolded evenly without a tally before Gilmour broke the stalemate on a layup 1:15 into the second frame.
Sanford chased down a loose puck in the corner and paddled it back to Hanifin in the slot. Hanifin blasted the disc into Tirronen and it came trickling out on the far side. Gilmour was parked in perfect position to lift the carom to the back of the net for the 1-0 Eagle advantage.
Merrimack had a chance to tie it up later on in the same frame after junior Teddy Doherty was cited for a slash from behind on Kyle Singleton. The official deemed the penalty worthy of a penalty shot, but Demko held the post and forced Singleton's take to ricochet off his left shoulder to the back boards at 15:43.
A few exchanges later, Savage broke up a Warrior charge down the right by stepping up and stripping the puck at the red line. With MC on the rush, Calnan swooped behind the opponent with a good amount of room in front and made a great play in front. Savage got the puck to the net on the fly and Calnan was able to maneuver the rebound around Tirronen at 17:20 to post a 2-0 lead heading into second intermission.
Merrimack started the third by cutting into Boston College's lead with a quick power play strike from Jace Henning at 2:05.
Sophomore Steve Santini was called for a hook 38 seconds into the final period of regulation and Henning made the Eagles pay in transition. Dan Kolomatis generated the scoring play in the Warriors' end and zipped it over to Hampus Gustafsson on the half wall. Henning cut in from the far side, accepted the relay from Gustafsson and found a spot through Demko in tight while crashing the net to make it a 2-1 affair.
Boston College nearly reclaimed its two-goal pad after sophomore Austin Cangelosi had appeared to score but the goal was called back around the 4:00-minute mark due to goaltender interference.
With 2:18 left in regulation, BC skipper Jerry York hailed for a timeout to compose his troops after a late barrage my Merrimack. Demko and the defense stood their ground as the Warriors called their timeout with 30.7 seconds later.
The Eagles defensive unit continued to block shots throughout the final seconds and held on to their 2-1 victory.
Boston College continues its hectic schedule and looks for redemption against Connecticut on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. Saturday marks the Huskies first trip to Kelley Rink. In the first ever meeting on Nov. 5, 2014, UConn shutout Boston College, 1-0, at the XL Center in Hartford.
Game Notes
- Boston College has not lost to Merrimack at Kelley Rink since Oct. 31, 1997. The Eagles are 26-0-3 against the Warriors during that span.
- Following Wednesday night's victory, Chris Calnan is now tied for fourth in the nation with four game-winning goals. The Norwell, Mass., native leads the nation with an average of 0.48 goals per game.
- Sophomore goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped his second-career penalty shot on Wednesday evening. The San Diego native stopped his first penalty shot at Penn State against Tommy Olczyk on Jan. 25, 2014.
- Sophomore defenseman Noah Hanifin is in the midst of a four-game point streak, longest of his career.