BOSTON - Jack McBain posted his third career multi-goal game and Matt Boldy snapped a 3-3 tie early in the third as No. 2 Boston College opened its 99th season of men's hockey with a 4-3 victory over No. 7 UMass on Black Friday at Kelley Rink.
Massachusetts (1-1-1) suffered its first defeat of the young season.
Boldy added an assist for a multi-point night, while classmate Mike Hardman also lit the lamp. Rookies Nikita Nesterenko and Colby Ambrosio each collected his first career assist in the win.
Fellow freshman Eamon Powell had a pair of assists in his collegiate debut, as did senior assistant captain Logan Hutsko. Spencer Knight made 30 saves in net for his 24th career win.
Josh Lopina tallied two of the Minutemen's three goals, including the game's only power play tally.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 15:56, BC (1-0) | Hutsko deked his way between the UMass circles and found McBain near the left post for his first of the night.
2nd 1:52, UMass (1-1) | Zac Jones gained the Boston College zone shorthanded along the left wing and snapped a shot from the faceoff dot to beat Knight high glove side.
2nd 3:13, BC (2-1) | Hardman finished a tic-tac-toe passing play from Hutsko and Boldy on the power play with a low backhander inside the left post.
2nd 12:41, BC (3-1) | Nesterenko sent a stretch pass to McBain at the offensive blue line and the junior cut back into the high slot for a heavy shot, blocker side.
2nd 15:05, UMass (3-2) | Off a clean faceoff win on the power play, Colin Felix fired a shot from the left point that Lopina deflected past Knight.
2nd 16:18, UMass (3-3) | Josh MacDonald tipped a pass from the slot to the left doorstep and centered it back for Lopina to tap in from the top of the crease.
3rd 1:06, BC (4-3) | Powell's stretch pass was directed inside by Ambrosio to Boldy, who gained a step on the UMass defense and sniped the top right corner.
UP NEXT
The schools complete the home-and-home series on Saturday (Nov. 28) at 4:30 p.m. on NESN+ at the Mullins Center.