Deep freeze

Boston College is back in the Frozen Four for the fourth time in five years after their 9-7 defeat of the Yale Bulldogs at the DCU Center on Sunday evening.

The first period ended with a 2-1 score.  First blood was drawn by Brian Gibbons at the 5:21 mark, with Brian O'Neill for Yale answering at 13:32 to tie the game.  On a fluke goal by Carl Sneep at 16:34, BC retook the lead and held it for good.

The second period was, to put it plainly, nuts.  In total, the two teams combined for seven goals.  Joe Whitney put BC up 3-1 at 2:23, but Mark Arcobello hit back for Yale at 4:46 to make it 3-2.  BC, not to be outdone, scored at 4:57 on a Cam Atkinson goal.  Six minutes later, Atkinson scored again for the Eagles to make it 5-2 Eagles.  About four minutes after that, Joe Whitney got his second goal to make it 6-2.  Yale was not done yet, however, scoring two late goals by Arcobello and Denny Kearney to make it a 6-4 BC lead at the second break.

The third period was nearly as crazy.  Boston College scored the first three goals of the period: Cam Atkinson at 4:16, and Jimmy Hayes at 6:53 and 23 seconds later at 7:16.  Arcobello had a hat trick of his own, however, to make it 9-5 and then O'Neill struck again shortly thereafter to make it 9-6.  At the end of the game, however, Yale made it 9-7, which ended up being the final score.  Atkinson's hat trick was the third of his season.

This game was a demonstration on how not to tend goal and/or play defense.  BC made their share of mistakes but Yale's goaltenders (just about all of them) could not stop the Eagle onslaught, and it turned out to be just enough.  It was a great offensive show, however.  In fact, 16 total goals was a regional record, and BC's last 9-goal game before tonight was October 15, 2005 at Bowling Green.

John Muse, in a stat that should concern you, has allowed 14 goals in his last three games.  (6 against Maine, 1 against Alaska, 7 today)  It has definitely not been pretty.

Boston College will play the winner of Michigan-Miami (OH) on Thursday 4/8.