No. 1 Boston College men complete weekend sweep in shutout of Hockey East rival Boston University

Boston College's Gabe Perreault (No. 34) celebrates the power-play tally of teammate Teddy Stiga (No. 4) in Saturday night's 2-0 victory over Hockey East rival Boston University at Conte Forum. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

By Andrew Mahoney, The Boston Globe

January 26, 2025

3 minutes to read

Boston College took advantage of a pregame protocol violation by Boston University to score 24 seconds into Saturday night’s game, and Eagles goalie Jacob Fowler made sure it stood up, stopping 30 shots to record an NCAA-best sixth shutout of the season as BC completed a weekend sweep of its crosstown rival, 2-0, in front of a sold-out crowd of 7,884 at Conte Forum.

Sudbury native Teddy Stiga scored quick on the power play, and sophomore Ryan Leonard put the game away with his empty-netter with 1:03 remaining. Leonard’s nation-leading 19th of the season helped the top-ranked Eagles (18-4-1) extend their winning streak to six games, including Friday night’s 6-2 win at BU.

You could say BU goalie Mikhail Yegorov was a bit amped up to make his NCAA debut as he waited to take the ice with his teammates for warmups. Protocol calls for the referees to take the ice first, with the home team entering 38 minutes before puck drop, followed by the visiting team 10 seconds later.

But when the officials entered the rink, Yegorov immediately followed them on for what amounted to an unplanned 90-second rookie lap in which he was serenaded with jeers from the early arriving BC student section.

His Terriers teammates watched from the tunnel, waiting for the appropriate time to join him. BU (13-9-1) was assessed a two-minute minor for the protocol violation and was forced to open the game on the penalty kill.

“I have a really hard time with that call,” said BU coach Jay Pandolfo. “The fact that the guy, whoever runs the door, opened it. This kid’s excited to play his first hockey game, right for warmups, and they open the door, and then they close it on him and they leave him out there. The guy can’t tell him, ‘You can’t go,’ and get him back off the ice?

“I’ll take responsibility, because I didn’t let the kid know about it, but it’s a joke that that’s how the game starts, and that’s not how these games should start. Like, come on. Like, really, this is how we’re going to start a BC-BU game? Here’s a power play? Like, again, it’s in the rule book, so it’s my fault. I’ll take responsibility.”

BC’s Ryan Leonard (9) breaks free from BU’s Brehdan Engum (10) before scoring an empty-net goal during third period of the Eagles’ 2-0 victory Saturday night at Conte Fourm.
*– Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff*

It did not take BC long to make the Terriers pay. Leonard carried the puck across the blue line and fired a shot that Yegorov deflected, but Stiga was there to knock in the rebound. It extended Stiga’s point streak to seven games and was the ninth goal of his freshman season.

“Weird situation, for sure,” said Leonard. “Still don’t know all the logistics to it, but take it when we can get it, I guess.”

Yegorov, a native of St. Petersburg, Russia, would not let another shot in for the remainder of the game, recording 23 saves. The second goaltender selected in the 2024 NHL Draft, taken by the Devils in the second round, arrived at BU earlier this month and was added to the roster on Tuesday after playing 62 games for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL the past two seasons.

“I was just thinking about getting him in there, in this environment,” said Pandolfo. “He’s never seen it, so I figured he’d actually be less nervous, not knowing about it, and just get him in there. He’s a confident kid. He was excited about it. I’m just really happy with the way he played tonight.”

BC’s Brady Berard (19) and BU’s Gavin McCarthy (2) crash into goalie Mikhail Yegoroy (40) during third period action at Conte Fourm. Yegorov allowed an early power-play goal, but didn’t let in another, making 23 saves in his BU debut.
*– Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff*

But Fowler, who stopped 61 of 63 shots on the weekend, would not be outdone. His six shutouts as a sophomore are the third best single-season mark in BC history.

“We try not to take it for granted, but he’s so consistent, he gives us a chance every night,” said BC coach Greg Brown. “His demeanor is so calm that it really helps spread confidence throughout the team. If he’s under pressure and he’s making some spectacular saves, he doesn’t get flustered. . . . He just keeps doing his job, and his calmness . . . it spreads to the team in front of him and allows everybody to not lose their heads when we are under the gun.”