Boston College vs. UMass Lowell: Preview and Prediction
Top ranked Boston College is set to battle Hockey East foe UMass Lowell in a weekend home and home series. The two teams seem to be heading in different directions this season, as BC sits atop Hockey East, while Lowell has struggled this season. But the Riverhawks have had BC's number the past few years owning a 6-3-1 record over the past ten meetings
2020-21 Records: Boston College (11-3-1), UMass Lowell (4-5)
Recent Head to Head: Boston College has a 67-44-10 advantage over UMass Lowell in the all-time series, but Lowell holds a 6-3-1 record over the past ten.
When: Friday at 7pm at the Kelly Rink, and 6pm on Saturday at Tsongas Arena.
How To Watch & Listen: Friday's game will be televised on NESN+, Saturday's game is not on television but can be streamed on SportsLive (CollegeSportsLive.com). Radio coverage is on WEEI 850-AM and BCEagles.com with Jon Rish and Andy Powers and begins fifteen minutes before the puck drops.
Follow Along: We will be watching the game and giving our feedback here on the site during the game. But you can also follow us on Twitter @BulletinBC
Three Keys To The Game
1. Take Advantage of Power Plays: Lowell's achilles heel has been their penalty killing unit, which ranks as third worst in the entire country. BC has been inconsistent on the PP themselves, so this weekend will be a battle between two units trying to get their footing.
2. Stay out of the box: The Riverhawks are not a prolific scoring team, but they do take advantage of power play situations, scoring on 21% of their opportunities. BC can ill afford to give them easy chances for goals.
3. Rattle the Rookie: Henry Welsch, a true freshman goalie for the 'Hawks has a 3-2 record and .914 save percentage. But he not faced an offense like Boston College, one of the most dangerous in the country. Get to him early, get points on the board and let Spencer Knight do his thing between the pipes.
AJ's Predictions: This isn't the typical BC/Lowell series with two teams fighting for the top spot in Hockey East. Lowell missed a chunk of games due to COVID-19 postponements and haven't been able to find any consistency this season. However, never count out a Norm Bazin team. I think these games will be tighter than expected, and while I'll pick BC to win both, don't be surprised if the Riverhawks sneak out a win as well.
Friday: Boston College 3-1
Saturday: Boston College 4-3
Podcast: Friday's episode features a preview of this weekend's series. Listen below.
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Editor and publisher of BC Bulletin. '06 graduate of Boston College, who has followed the program as long as he can remember. Has been covering the Eagles for the past nine years, giving expert analysis, recruiting news and breakdowns. Also the host of Locked on Boston College, a daily BC podcast that is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. When he is not writing or producing content on the Eagles, he can be found running, skiing, enjoying craft beers, or spending time with his family. You can follow AJ Black on Twitter @AJBlack_BC and our official site Twitter account is @BulletinBC