Eagles earn #1 overall seed and will take on Bentley in the first game
Folks, here we are! For the second year in a row, Boston College men’s hockey will be the #1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament as they head to Manchester, New Hampshire for the Regionals. After a tough loss in the Hockey East Quarterfinals, the Eagles will aim to get back on track and book their trip to St. Louis for the Frozen Four.
WHO / WHAT / WHEN / WHERE:
The Manchester Regional begins on Friday, March 28, and will be held at the SNHU Arena.
Joining the Eagles are the Bentley University Falcons, the Providence Friars, and the Denver Pioneers.
The Eagles, as the #1 seed, will be taking on the fourth-seeded Falcons at 2PM, while the Friars and the Pioneers will duel it out at 5:30PM. The time of the Regional Final is still to be determined.
BENTLEY (23-14-2):
The Eagles’ first round matchup won’t be a cake walk. Bentley earned their trip to the NCAA Tournament by defeating Canisius, Sacred Heart, and heavily-favored Holy Cross on their way to the Atlantic Hockey conference title.
On offense, grad student Ethan Leyh leads the team with 41 points in 36 games, followed by grad student Nick Bochen who has 29 points in 39 games. In net, junior Connor Hasley has a .923 save percentage and a 1.95 GAA.
The Falcons’ power play clocks in at 20.2%, while their penalty kill is at 81%. With an average age almost two years older than the BC roster, it’s likely this matchup will be tight and physical.
PROVIDENCE (21-10-5) vs. DENVER (29-11-1):
In the second matchup of the day, we’ll have some familiar foes facing off for a spot in the regional final.
The Eagles swept Providence in regular season Hockey East action, and neither team made it past the Hockey East Quarterfinal — Providence dropped their game 3-1 to UConn, the eventual runner up.
On offense, grad student Logan Will and sophomore Hudson Malinoski lead the Friars with 23 points each. In net, Philip Svedebäck has a .915 save percentage in 25 games, while Zach Borgiel has a .910 save percentage in 12.
Last but not least, Denver — for the second year in a row, BC faces the possibility of a matchup against the defending national champions in their regional. And of course, it’s the one team that managed to shut the Eagles out last year in the national championship. The Pioneers had a fairly strong season overall, but are coming off a 2OT loss to Western Michigan in the NCHC Championship game.
On offense, senior Jack Devine leads the Pioneers with 56 points in 41 games, followed by junior Aidan Thompson who has 51 points. Standout sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium is third on the team with 43 points in 38 games. Both Devine and Buium are Hobey Baker Top-10 Finalists as well.
In net, senior Matt Davis has a 27-9-1 record in 37 games played, with a .920 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA.
HOW TO WATCH:
Boston College vs. Bentley will be on ESPNU, while the Providence vs. Denver matchup will be on ESPN+.
FOLLOW ALONG:
@bcinterruption and @bc_mhockey on Twitter for the Eagles’ matchup.
Let’s get this show on the road — roll Eags!