“ECH Out East” Eagles Sweep the Friars, Retain Top Spot in Hockey East
By Brendan Locke — January 24, 2024
Providence is always the 3rd school mentioned in Hockey East, despite their remarkable level of stability and consistency since Nate Leaman took over in 2011. At the beginning of each season, the public eye lasers in on Boston College and Boston University.
Without fail.
Throughout a season, the Friars may rise above their counterparts further up Route 95. But it needs to be from their own doing. The pomp and circumstance that come with 2 of the most famous brands in all of college hockey is too much to overcome for the Friars just based on the market of their own respective city and historical results.
Despite having won a national championship more recently than both BC and BU, there is still a feeling that PC is always the bridesmaid and never the bride within the conference.
Last week, the Friars had a chance to change that narrative.
A home and home with the Eagles.
The fastest sell-out in the history of Schnider Arena and a chance for Providence to catapult itself ahead of the Eagles to take charge of the Hockey East.
I am on record saying that I think Providence is a Frozen Four team. When the Friars play their game they are one of the most difficult teams to beat in the country, and as Trevor Connelly and company have continued to improve and scoring has ramped up, I had hard time believing that many if any teams could go toe to toe with PC.
Well, BC causally strutted into this series and said, “That’s a nice top 5 team in the country you have there. This is what a top 2 team looks like.”
Complete domination throughout the weekend beginning with game 1 at Conte Forum.
Game 1
In front of a packed student section, this had the billing of a heavyweight title fight. With both teams sparring in the early moments of the 1st period looking to land a big punch. Both goalies were poised and sharp when they needed to be and PC’s Philip Svedebäck was the busier of the two, making 9 saves compared the Jacob Fowler’s 3.
So often when Providence is playing how they want, they are in complete control of the game, they dominate puck possession, hold the redline, and make it nearly impossible to enter the zone against their big stout defensemen.
BC just simply outclassed them this one. The Eagles got the Friars off their game in the 1st, PC started to press in the 2nd, and then mistakes happened.
Too many men on the ice called against PC and 1 minute after that.
This is the type of pass from James Hagens that puts you on “No-Flight” list, just nasty, disgusting stuff from the freshman who has gotten better and better and better with each passing week.
The part of BC’s game that has been missing has been the powerplay. Despite their roster and their talent, the Eagles have not been able to link up on a powerplay with any sustainability this season, but coach Greg Brown hopes that goal will change things, “Felt like our powerplay is starting to show signs of life”.
Thoughts and prayers to every college hockey team in the nation if this powerplay “comes to life”, currently sitting at 40th in the country converting at 19.3%. Teams are going to be in for long nights if that number continues to improve.
BC would not need any more goals on the night due to the performance of Jacob Fowler, who once again was brilliant. He answered every question that was asked of him and continued to impress making high effort saves look easy. BC is difficult enough to get through to earn a high-quality scoring chance, but throw Fowler in on top of that, and it makes a seemingly impossible task even harder.
Combine that with the top-end talent that can turn in goals from below to the goal line:
Woof.
BC would tack on an empty netter to make it 3-0 and take game 1 of the series.
As for Nate Leaman and Providence?
“We weren’t willing to play a simple game”.
A team that is so used to being in control and playing on their toes was left scrambling in their defensive zone. Fighting an uphill battle against a goalie that looked unbeatable, something needed to change.
“I’d like us to get to our game”, Leaman said. “By the time we’re getting the puck behind them we needed to change”.
The Friars would get another shot the next night but they needed to make it count.
Game 2
In front of the largest crowd that I had ever seen in Schnider Arena, the Friars were looking for payback not only from the previous night but also from their midweek matchup back in November, in which BC walked off with a 3-2 overtime win.
The building was rocking and PC was fired up, as they jumped on the Eagles on several occasions and looked as though they may break through in the early stages of the game. Both teams would eventually settle in still, with Providence carrying most of the play.
Trevor Connelly nearly scored the goal of the year taking a baseball swing at a flying puck, but Fowler once again was up to the task.
It felt like Providence needed to score first. The building was getting anxious and the longer that this game stuck around without the Friars breaking through, the better it was for BC.
Then this happens.
Gabe Perreault is the best player in the country right now and I don’t think it’s particularly close. He’s a 19 year Patrice Bergeron and how he fell to 23 in the draft I’ll never be able to answer.
“He might be one of the smarter players to ever come through college hockey”.
That didn’t come from one of Perreault’s teammates or coaches, that was Nate Leaman after game 1. Perreault’s ability to see the ice and create pockets for himself is unlike anybody else at this level right now.
Hagens’ tacks on another assist and the Eagles would take a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Providence outplayed BC for the first time in the series, outshot them, and out-chanced them, yet they still trailed. PC needed to get the next goal to stay in this game or else a signature win could be slipping through their fingers.
Whoops.
You could hear a pin drop in Schnider after this goal, and BC would continue to do BC things. At one point, one of the other writers said to me “BC is out Providence’ing Providence” and they were exactly right, the frustration for PC continued to grow. The Friars still had issues entering the zone and generating high-quality scoring chances and it was not until 7:10 left in the 2nd period that PC would finally break through.
For the rest of that period, the Friars were dominating play and they would draw a penalty on top of that to finally get serious momentum in their favor.
Lukas Gustafsson would head to box for slashing with 4 minutes remaining in the 2nd, the pressure mounted and noise grew within Schnider. PC knew that this was their chance, and BC was hanging on trying to get to the locker room with a lead.
Unfortunately for PC, they couldn’t solve Fowler, who continued to make his case for the Richter Award, the sophomore was brilliant in every way you could want. Just as he was in game 1, BC would kill off the penalty, but they were not out of the woods yet.
But who would save the day again?
Take a guess…
Un-real.
“We had really good looks tonight, it’s the type of game you watch the tape, I think it’s one where you’ll be banging your head because of the looks we had” Leaman said after the game.
That felt like PC’s chance had gone by the wayside, and the Eagles ramped it up in the 3rd, outshooting the Friars throughout the period for the 1st time all game. And, remember when Greg Brown said the powerplay was coming to life?
Make that 4 powerplay goals in 4 games for the Eagles.
A powerplay goal would make it 4-1 and complete the sweep.
They are playing their best hockey at the right time. As the finish line begins to make itself visible in the tight Hockey East, it’s the Eagles who rule the roost.
With the Battle of Comm Ave and the Beanpot coming up for BC, their toughest test of the season is still ahead. It will be interesting to watch how much they have in the tank if they make it to that 2nd Monday in February at TD Garden, as they face the toughest part of their schedule to end the season.
As for Providence, the search for a signature win continues and despite the better play, they could not have that one big moment at home on the 2nd night. If these 2 teams meet down the line I would not be the least bit surprised.
Whether that be at the Garden for the Hockey East playoffs or maybe in St. Louis in April, only time will tell. For now, it’s the Eagles who have landed the last punch with a regular-season sweep.
