Frozen Fenway Wrap: BC Survives Late UMass Rally Attempt

BOSTON — The Boston College Eagles men’s hockey team got back on track with a 4-2 win over the 15th-ranked UMass Minutemen on Saturday, capping off a Frozen Fenway doubleheader from America’s most beloved ballpark.

The win brought the Eagles to 8-6-4, with the Minutemen falling to 9-8-3.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The main event of Frozen Fenway pitted UMass against BC in a matchup consisting of two underwhelming teams.

UMass entered the matchup entrenched in its second-worst start since Greg Carvel took over as head coach in 2016. BC came in as a team still looking to find its footing following the retirement of legendary coach Jerry Yorke.

You wouldn’t know any of that by watching this game, though.

Saturday represented a fantastic opportunity for one program to capture a signature win, and the Eagles took advantage after fending off a hard-fought comeback attempt by the Minutemen.

While both teams had sufficient chances in their respective offensive zones, the Minutemen could not capitalize when it counted. Though they went 2-for-7 on the powerplay, it was even-strength opportunities that went by the wayside to hamper UMass, as Eagles goaltender Mitch Benson stuffed the majority of close-range shots from Amherst’s finest.

If the Minutemen converted on just one of their many even-strength opportunities, this game would have gone much differently.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Cam Burke netted two goals for BC — his first two of the season — to make the difference for the Eagles. He also blocked a huge shot in the first period to keep UMass off the board.

— Ryan Ufko potted UMass’ second goal in his first game since returning from the World Juniors, where he lead Team USA with nine assists in five games.

— Cutter Gauthier opened up the scoring for BC, potting his 11th goal of the season.

UP NEXT
The Minutemen will be back in Boston on Wednesday to take on the Terriers of Boston University, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET from Agganis Arena. Meanwhile, BC will head south to take on Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Conn. next Saturday. Puck drop for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.