ECH “OUT EAST” MIDWEEK MADNESS - BC STEALS ONE FROM THE FRIARS
BY Brendan locke - November 22, 2024I called upon the students of Providence College about a month ago, I asked them to show up and support a top 10 team in the nation and get their Friars some hometown support. Everyone in New England knows the “Friar Fanatics” and what they have been known to do for their basketball team. I just put out a simple request to come do what they do best and make some noise.
They did.
Providence has not made the NCAA tournament in 5 years, and a signature win over the top dog in Hockey East is the type of game that can catapult a season to heights that can put eyes on another banner. The broadcast was on ESPN, and we were covering in both written and video formats. BC was coming off a shocking 5-4 loss at UConn where one of the best goalies in the country was ejected and suspended a game for punching a player in the head.
The stage was set for PC to have a moment.
Then this happened
Gabe Perreault got a pass and slid it through Philip Svedeback legs and before people were even in their seats, BC was ahead 1-0.
On the drive down from Boston I thought the only way that PC would be able to win this game is to score first, take advantage of BC and their backup, and try to catch them sleeping after a short turnaround on a Tuesday night. BC strikes in the opening minute, and it felt like BC might go run away with this game. But if there is anything that we know about Nate Leaman’s Friars it is that they will adjust, and make nothing easy for any team.
PC would respond following the goal with a pair of powerplays that generated offense but Jan Korec, the BC goalie stepping in for Jacob Fowler, looked sharp early and made a handful of quality saves. These would end up being Providence’s only powerplays of the game (more on that later).
This game certainly did not lack controversy; with under 3 minutes remaining in the 1st period, Providence defenseman Taige Harding fired a puck on the net it bounced off the end boards and stuck in front of Korec who was out of position. The puck was still loose but the whistle was blown before and ruled no goal. Providence needed some sort of break to pull themselves back into the game and that may have been it.
The period would end in favor of the Eagles 1-0.
However, PC came out flying in the 2nd
Then.
BC had controlled most of the game for the 1st, and in the blink of an eye, they looked up at the scoreboard and found themselves trailing.
PC would continue the pressure forcing Korec to make several high-quality saves in dangerous areas. Everything was pointing towards PC being able to tack on another goal and head into the 3rd period with a 3-1 lead but top defenseman Guillaume Richard got called for playing with a broken stick and BC headed to powerplay. The Eagles did not score on the powerplay but dominated the period the rest of the way.
That sequence would carry over into the 3rd as PC chased the puck for much of the period “I don’t if we just ran out of gas in the 3rd cause we had 2 games on the weekend… the short turnaround” Nate Leaman’s squad certainly looked the part of having tired legs against an offense that can fly as much as BC.
The Friars hung in well defending when they needed to but a tripping call would bring BC to the powerplay with 7:00 left in the game, however, Ryan Leonard would get called for roughing after the whistle and the teams would skate 4 on 4.
It felt like PC had dodged the bullet, they had committed a bad penalty and were about to go onto the penalty kill but got bailed out by the best player on the ice taking an even worse penalty after the whistle.
Leonard would make up for it.
That is now the 3rd time in less than a month that Ryan Leonard has scored to either tie or take the lead for the Eagles with under 5 minutes remaining.
The cardiac kids have done it again.
Tie game and to overtime, we went.
Teddy Stiga nearly put the game away just moments into the overtime as the puck chipped over Svedeback but it dribbled across the goal line staying out.
PC answered on the other end as 1st round pick Trevor Connelly scooped a puck up in a scramble in front of the net and slid it past Korec and PC had their winner, signature win, and moment of the season knocking off the top-ranked Eagles!
Not so fast my friend.
For the 2nd time in this game, the officials blew the play dead while the puck was still loose, it was reviewed and confirmed no goal “2 quick whistles cost us 2 goals, it is what it is but both those pucks were loose and we put both of them in the net, really disappointed in that” Leaman’s frustrations were multiplied “He (Korec) never had that covered.”
Shortly thereafter, BC would catch Providence on a bad line change and head in with an odd-man rush, and guess who did it again with maybe his best Houdini act all year.
“It was there for us” that has been the headline for the Friars since last making the tournament in 2019 a season in which they also made the Frozen 4. But searching for that statement win in recent years has left Providence on the outside looking in.
BC in walk-off fashion, 3-2 your final.
Takeaways
Providence - The defense and goaltending are absolutely legit, Phil Svedeback is the guy appearing in 8 games but Zach Borgiel has been a nice compliment with sub 3.00 GAA and save % north of .900. The big experienced defense pairs make things difficult on teams to gain entries on the rush and are good in their own zone. The problem that PC is currently facing is on the offensive end, with just 5 goals in their last 3 games against UMass and BC. Freshman Trevor Connelly, the Friars' big get this offseason has just put 2 goals on the board all season. Granted he is a freshman and there is undoubtedly an adjustment period. But if the Friars want to crack the top 10 and stay in the top 10 then the top 6 forwards need to produce against ranked opponents.
Boston College - I’m not entirely sure where to start on BC, at times they look completely unstoppable and the offensive firepower is too much to handle. Sometimes they look like a young inexperienced team that is still in the figuring-out process. But the results do not lie, they always seem to pull themselves back from the dead and show up when the lights are the brightest. On Tuesday BC answered the bell without their #1 Mike Richter Nominee goalie on a short rest coming off a loss, in a tough environment. Ryan Leonard has proved who he is, he is on a tear and continues to rip the hearts out of opposing teams in the dying minutes. But the player who stands out the most every game is Gabe Perreault, he is the best 200-foot player in the Hockey East and I don’t think it’s close. Eamon Powell continues to be a steady presence on the backend and his strong play. The question BC will have to answer throughout the rest of the season - can they keep pulling themselves out of these holes late in games? So far, the answer has been yes.
