Four Goal Second Period Pushes No. 15 Boston College Men's Hockey Past Notre Dame

The Eagles earned their eighth win of the season in their non-conference matchup with the Fighting Irish on Friday afternoon.

Boston College Men's Hockey (BC_MHockey) via X

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — The No. 15 Boston College Eagles (8-5-1, 5-3-0 HE) men’s hockey team earned its eighth win of the season with a 5-3 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-9-1, 0-6 B1G) at Conte Forum on Friday afternoon. 

Notre Dame struck first early in the opening frame with a power-play goal by center Danny Nelson at 3:23, assisted by right winger Evan Werner and left winger Cole Brown. 

Eagles defenseman Nolan Joyce was in the box for a two-minute minor holding penalty. 

Boston College had a full power-play opportunity with a holding call on Nelson at 15:25 and a partial one with a hooking call on Notre Dame defenseman Axel Kumlin at 19:13 in the first period, but could not capitalize and Notre Dame went into the first intermission with the 1-0 advantage. 

The Eagles knotted things up at 1 at the 7:04 mark of the second period with a goal from defenseman Will Skahan, his first of the season, with help from left winger Will Traeger and right winger Gavin Cornforth. 

Notre Dame went back in front around the midway point of the middle frame 2-1 with a score from Werner. His goal was assisted by Danny Nelson and defenseman Henry Nelson. 

Less than a minute later, BC center Dean Letourneau knocked in one at 12:40 to even things up at 2. 

Boston College center James Hagens gave the team its first lead of the day 3-2 with his seventh score of the season at 17:03 with help from Letourneau and right winger Ryan Conmy. Notre Dame challenged the play for goalie interference, but after a review the goal was upheld.

Shortly after that goal, Hagens recorded his second of the day at 19:47.6 to put the Eagles up 4-2 heading into the second intermission.

Notre Dame got itself back within one score 4-3 early in the third period with a goal from defenseman Paul Fischer at 2:27, assisted by right winger Cole Knuble and center Sutter Muzzatti. 

Hagens’ impressive performance continued into the final frame and he recorded his third goal of the day at 7:23 to give the Eagles their two-goal lead back 5-3 with help from right winger Will Vote and defenseman Aram Minnetian which was the final score of the day.

Next up, Boston College plays a home-and-home series against the UMass Lowell River Hawks. The opening game at Tsongas Center in Lowell, Mass., on Friday night is set for 7:15 p.m. ET and the finale at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass., on Saturday night is set for 7 p.m., both on ESPN+.