In a game featuring a combined five rookies who were all first-round NHL draft picks last summer, it was Boston College’s most experienced players who paced the Eagles offense.
Senior Julius Mattila scored twice and classmate David Cotton added a goal and two assists as No. 10 Boston College skated past No 16. Wisconsin, 5-3.
The Eagles jumped to a 4-1 lead early in the second period before the Badgers came roaring back. Before the end of the middle frame, Owen Lindmark and Cole Caufield had pulled Wisconsin within a goal at 4-3. For Caufield it was his second goal of the game.
But in the opening minute of the third, Cotton’s unassisted goal was all the insurance BC needed.
Rookie goaltender Spencer Knight earned his first collegiate win stopping 23 shots.
Atlantic Hockey
Robert Morris 3, Bentley 0
Nick Prkusic score twice and goaltender Justin Kapelmaster made 35 saves to earn a shutout as Robert Morris knocked off Bentley, 3-0.
Grant Hebert opened the scoring in the first period for the Colonials. The game remained that way until the third, despite the visiting Falcons posting a 25-10 shot advantage through two period.
Prkusic extended the lead at 2:22 of the third before icing the game on the power play with 2:17 remaining.
WCHA
Alaska 3, Michigan Tech 2
Alaska jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second and then held on as host Michigan Tech made a furious rally, as the Seawolves skated to a 3-2 win.
Kylar Hope, Justin Young and Chris Jandric all scored in the middle frame for Alaska. But Brian Halonen and Tommy Parrottino brought the Huskies within a goal. Despite an 11-4 shot advantage in the final frame for Michigan Tech, Alaska earned the road victory behind 16 saves by Gustavs Grigals.
Non-conference
UMass Lowell 3, #1 Minnesota Duluth 2
The visiting River Hawks spoiled banner-raising night for defending national champion Minnesota Duluth, scoring three second period goals en route to a 3-2 victory at Amsoil Arena.
After a scoreless first period, Lucas Condotta opened the scoring at 5:12 of the second, taking advantage of a forced turnover, firing a shot on goaltender Hunter Shepard and then burying his own rebound.
The game remained that way for much of the second before Condotta again netted a goal, this time taking a feed from Matt Brown and again burying the rebound of his own shot. It wouldn’t take long for the River Hawks to extended the lead as 49 seconds later, Chris Schutz picked off a pass and walked in alone on Shepard to extend the lead to 3-0.
The nation’s top team made it a game late. After Scott Perunovich scored a power play goal at 1:59 of the third, Noah Cates notched an extra attacker goal with 1:08 left to give the Bulldogs a chance.
Lowell goaltender Tyler Wall, though, shut the door in late, making 32 saves on the night, 15 in the game’s final period.
Rensselaer vs. #4 Massachusetts
Underdog Rensselaer gave #4 UMass all it could handle on Friday, but ultimately two goals by Mitchell Chaffee, including an empty-netter to seal the deal led the Minutemen to a 5-3 win at the Mullins Center.
The key stretch in the game came in the second period. Trailing 1-0, UMass scored three goals in less than 10 minutes to take control of the game. Cal Kiefiuk, Chaffee and Zac Jones gave the Minutemen a 3-1 lead. After trading goals, RPI’s Ryan Mahshie’s tally with 11:48 left pulled the Engineers within a goal.
Filip Lindberg earned the victory finishing with 20 saves.
Arizona State vs. #3 Minnesota State
Julian Napravnick broke a 1-1 tie with 1:31 remaining in the second and Marc Michaelis scored twice in the third as #3 Minnesota State knocked off Arizona State, 4-1.
Riese Zmolek opened the scoring in the first before Arizona State’s Johnny Walker scored his third goal in as many games to even the score through one.
Dryden McKay stopped 25 shots including all 11 he faced in the third to earn the win.
Holy Cross 3, #6 Providence 2 (OT)
In a major upset, Holy Cross’ Andrew Dumaresque scored an extra-attacker goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation and Kevin Darrar notched the overtime game winner as the Crusaders knocked off #6 Providence, 3-2.
Jack Dugan had given the Friars the lead, 2-1, with just 12:39 left in regulation. That wasn’t enough though as a persistent Holy Cross team helped steal the road victory in its season opener.
