8 #7/6 Boston College (12-4-2) |
Pittsburgh, Pa. • CONSOL Energy Center • Attendance: 8,222 | 2 Penn State (4-10-1) |
Dec. 28, 2013
PITTSBURGH - Sophomore forward Casey Bailey (Anchorage, Alaska) gave the Nittany Lions an early first-period lead, but No. 7/6 Boston College tallied eight straight goals en route to an 8-2 victory in the Three Rivers Classic championship game at CONSOL Energy Center Saturday night.
The Nittany Lions, who played their highest ranked opponent and seventh top-20 foe in the past eight games, fell to 4-10-1 overall. The Eagles improved to 12-4-2 with their fourth straight win.
Freshman David Goodwin (Des Peres, Mo.) also scored for the Nittany Lions, while redshirt sophomore Eric Scheid (Blaine, Minn.) tallied his ninth point (5g, 4a) in his last seven games with a third-period assist. Sophomore netminder Matthew Skoff (McKees Rocks, Pa.) surrendered five goals on 25 shots through the first two periods, while junior PJ Musico (Orange, Calif.) made five saves in the third.
Penn State and Boston College recorded 33 shots apiece. The Nittany Lions went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Eagles converted on 2-of-3 opportunities. Brian Billett, who allowed one goal, collected 31 saves before Brad Barone surrendered a marker in 6:27 of action.
In the first period, the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but Boston College ended the frame with two quick strikes with less than two minutes to play. Bailey opened the scoring just 4:46 into the contest when he one-timed sophomore Jonathan Milley's (Gatineau, Que.) pass past Billett. The Gatineau, Que., native intercepted a clearing attempt at the left harsh marks before finding Bailey for his second marker of the season.
With 1:48 left in the opening stanza, Ryan Fitzgerald netted a power-play tally when he tipped Austin Cangelosi's pass from outside the crease. Just 33 seconds later, Kevin Hayes gave the Eagles a 2-1 advantage after converting on Bill Arnold's feed from behind the Nittany Lion cage. Johnny Gaudreau also collected an assist on the play.
Boston College added a trio of second-period tallies en route to a 5-1 cushion. At 6:26, Danny Linell found Fitzgerald in front of the net, where Skoff thwarted the forward's attempt. Destry Straight then located the rebound for the 3-1 advantage.
Straight recorded his second tally with 9:03 left in the period. Isaac MacLeod took a Fitzgerald's pass and had his shot from the left point re-direct off Straight in front of the cage. The Eagles skated to a 5-1 lead at 6:26 when a Penn State turnover led to Gaudreau's breakaway tally.
Boston College continued its surge in the final frame, tallying three times before the Nittany Lions responded with a goal of their own. With 16:01 left, Linell took Cangelosi's pass at the right point and fired a slap shot as the Eagles grabbed a 6-1 advantage.
Straight netted his third marker of the game at 13:33 before Michael Sit made it an 8-1 contest just 18 seconds later.
Penn State ended the run when Goodwin tallied his fourth goal of the season with 2:33 left in the game. After a neutral-zone turnover, Scheid and Goodwin entered the Boston College zone 2-on-1 before Scheid slid the puck to Goodwin for the one-timer.
The Nittany Lions will return to action Sunday, Jan. 12 when they begin a two-game series against top-ranked Minnesota at Pegula Ice Arena.
NOTES: Defenseman Nate Jensen (Shorewood, Minn.) was named to the All-Tournament Team. The junior notched a goal in Penn State's 3-2 victory against Robert Morris Dec. 27.