After a close, high-scoring, one-goal game last night featuring second-seeded Boston College and seventh-seeded UMass Amherst, this one looked as if it would go down the wire as well until BC took over in the third and never looked back.
The Eagles drew first blood at 5:37 when Barry Almeida notched his sixth goal of the year with teammate Matt Price tallying the assist on the play. Not surprisingly enough, just as quickly as BC got on the board, the Minuteman were again on their heels when sniper Casey Wellman racked up his 22nd goal of the year to even the score at one. James Marcou and Justin Braun were there for the assists. An even 20 minutes of play saw UMass just outshooting BC 8-6 leading into the locker room.
The second period would be no different with the team’s replicating a seesaw scoring pattern with two goals within one minute of each other. Boston College's Carl Sneep capitalized on a sloppy UMass power play to pick up a shorthanded goal at 12:42, his ninth of the year. Jimmy Hayes and Almeida were there on the assists. Before Sneep could finish celebrating, the Minutemen came right back at 13:15 on Wellman's unassisted powerplay goal to even the score at two.
Just as last night's game saw a quick goal to start the third, BC's Matt Lombardi picked the right time to notch his third of the year to give the Eagles the lead. Paul Carey was able to extend the lead at 9:34 when he was set up by Steve Whitney for his eighth of the season. Whitney now has three points in two games.
After securing a two-goal lead, the Eagles wouldn't look back. Almeida would close the book on UMass with his second of the night on an empty-netter at 19:37. John Muse delivered another solid performance between the pipes making 16 saves on the night
Boston College swept the series 2-0 and will move on to the semifinals next Friday.
