Live blog: UNH vs. BC

We're live from the Whittemore Center, where the University of New Hampshire is taking on Boston College in its return to Hockey East action after a horrific weekend in Wisconsin. The Wildcats lost two games there, by a total of 10-2, and blamed their inability to handle the Badgers' intense forecheck as a primary reason for those results. That's one thing we'll be particularly keeping an eye on tonight, and we'll be here all night with our observations and updates. The game's being televised live on NESN, so hopefully you'll let us join you on the couch tonight.

		WILDCAT GAMECENTER
November 6, 2009 - Whittemore Center - Durham, NH
BC 4 - UNH 4  :  FINAL (OT)
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE (2-4-2 2-0-1)
LEFT WING	G-A-P	CENTER	G-A-P	RIGHT WING	G-A-P
Speelman	0-0-0	LeBlanc	1-1-2	Sislo	1-1-2
Thompson	1-0-1	DeSimone	0-1-1	Butler	1-1-2
Burke	0-0-0	Borisenok	0-0-0	Moses	0-0-0
McCarey	0-0-0	Block	0-0-0	Henrion	0-0-0
LEFT D'MAN	G-A-P	RIGHT D'MAN	G-A-P	GOALIE	Saves
Kostolansky	0-2-2	Kessel	0-0-0	Foster	32
Campanale	0-0-0	Kipp	0-1-1	DiGirolamo	NA
Beck	0-0-0	Hardowa	0-0-0	Scott	NA
BOSTON COLLEGE (2-2-1, 1-2-1)
LEFT WING	G-A-P	CENTER	G-A-P	RIGHT WING	G-A-P
J. Whitney	0-1-1	Hayes	0-0-0	S. Whitney	0-0-0
Carey	0-1-1	Gibbons	0-2-2	Smith	1-0-1
Almeida	0-0-0	Price	0-0-0	Lombardi	0-0-0
T. Atkinson	0-0-0	Mullane	0-0-0	C. Atkinson	0-0-0
LEFT D'MAN	G-A-P	RIGHT D'MAN	G-A-P	GOALIE	Saves
Cross	1-0-1	Wey	0-0-0	Muse	27
Dumoulin	0-1-1	Sneep	2-0-2	Milner	NA
Samuelsson	0-0-0	Shea	0-0-0	--	NA

*(PREGAME) - A couple of notable line changes for the 'Cats tonight. Up front, Coach Dick Umile has separated captains Bobby Butler and Peter LeBlanc for the first time this season, elevating Mike Sislo to right wing on the top line -- maybe in a move meant to ignite the slumping junior (1-1-2 this year). On the blue line, Nick Krates is out with an ankle injury, meaning the UNH D corps is without its only senior. Sophomore Blake Kessel is the most experienced Wildcat defenseman in the lineup tonight. Overall, UNH has six freshmen dressed tonight.

*(20:00) - We're underway at the Whitt.

*(18:53) - Brian Foster stops a shot from the left faceoff circle under his armpit, but didn't realize the rubber was in his jersey initially. Ultimately it fell out out of his shirt, and was banged in by Ben Smith at the doorstep -- but UNH caught a break. After review, the goal was waved off for a player in the crease.

*(15:04) - At the first media timeout, UNH is being outshot, 6-2. BC's legs seem to have a lot more life at this point.

*(13:18) - First penalty of the night goes against UNH's Blake Kessel, for hooking.

*(11:43) - 1-0 BC - Tommy Cross tees up a one-timer that beats Foster low by his right pad, and BC capitalizes on its first power play chance to take the opening advantage. Not even nine minutes in the Wildcats are being outshot 11-4. Not a good start for UNH.

*(10:20) - Continuing on that theme ... Sislo backs into BC goalie John Muse and is called for roughing.

*(9:37) - 2-0 BC - The Eagles never let the puck leave the zone over the first 43 seconds of the man-advantage, working the puck patiently until Carl Sneep could fire from the point. It hit a stick in front -- apparently a UNH stick -- and hopped over Foster for a 2-0 Eagle lead. Credit Brian Gibbons and Brian Dumoulin with the assists.

*(8:00) - The UNH crowd looks so sadly disappointed, very few of them even want to "Jump on it" when the band cranks up that song. This is not the start an apparent sellout was looking for in response to last weekend.

*(7:48) - Now, during a stoppage in play, the house DJ blares the song that comes on after the Bruins score at the Garden. Haven't heard it much lately. And it didn't get much of a rise here. In 12 minutes, BC has managed to completely take the crowd out of the game.

*(5:35) - Butler crashes the net, and crashes into Muse, eliciting another roughing infraction for UNH. (Not sure why they've both been roughing, as opposed to goaltender interference.)

*(5:22) - 3-0 BC - This time the Eagles needed even LESS time to capitalize. Sneep picks up his second, this one a clean blast from the point that beat Foster by his glove. BC is 3-for-3 on the power play -- and running away with this one.

*(3:40) - UNH's Phil DeSimone rings a pipe with a bullet of a shot, but it's shaping up like that kind of night for the Wildcats.

*(3:02) - Foster stops Jimmy Hayes with his left pad after the sophomore sliced in front untouched. It was the senior from Pembroke's 15th save of the frame.

*(0:00) - The first period is over, with BC doing its best to try and end the game as well.

*(20:00) - We're underway in the second.

*(18:00) - Foster got a good break (when Paul Carey hit the crossbar), then made a great save (throwing his pad at Matt Lombardi on the edge of the crease) to keep the deficit at three early in the period.

*(15:13) - 3-1 BC - Sislo and LeBlanc break out for a 2-on-1, and the captain buries his own rebound after ripping a shot into Muse's pads. BC takes a penalty 33 seconds later, Brian Gibbons for boarding, and there may be life in these Wildcats yet.

*(12:28) - The Wildcats come up empty on their first power play of the night.

*(8:30) - UNH's top two lines are really carrying the play in this second period, the primary reason the Wildcats own a 6-3 in shots for the frame.

*(8:05) - Peter LeBlanc drops BC captain Matt Price in front of the Eagles' bench, taking a not-so-good penalty that gives BC its fourth power play of the game. They scored on the first three.

*(6:29) - 4-1 BC - Make it 4-for-4. Ben Smith jams home the rebound of a Brian Gibbons shot, barely getting it over the line in a crowded crease, and restoring the Eagles' three-goal cushion. BC is the first team to score four power play goals against UNH since, well, BC did it in the 2008 Hockey East semifinals. That game went to triple overtime.

*(3:06) - The fans' white board behind Foster tonight reads "This is what it looks like when a Boston team scores on NESN." The obvious shot is at the inept Bruins -- but do we sense some hostility toward the Wildcats as well?

*(0:00) - We'll go to the third with the gap the same as it was 20 minutes ago. After each team landed seven shots on goal in the second period, and each team scored once, the Eagles take a three-goal edge to the final frame.

*(15:44) - 4-2 BC - Might we have a hockey game yet? Sislo walked in off the half wall during a UNH power play, found some free space in the slot and lifted a wrister over Muse during a UNH power play that was just 31 seconds old. The assists go to LeBlanc and Brett Kostolansky (first career point), and the Wildcats are now within two.

*(15:10) - With a goal and an assist tonight, Sislo has now doubled his season's point production.

*(14:41) - LeBlanc gets caught up with a BC player in front of the UNH bench, sending him to the penalty box for interference. UNH will need its first kill of the night to stay alive in this one,

*(12:41) - UNH kills off the latest penalty -- thanks to a defender (Damon Kipp?) blocking Steven Whitney's shot at an otherwise empty net after a scrumout front.

*(11:45) - 4-3 BC - Now we've REALLY got ourselves a game. Paul Thompson's persistence in the goalmouth jams home the rubber lying there after Bobby Butler threw it on Muse.

*(10:27) - Media timeout, giving UNH a chance to get the LeBlanc line -- which has been excellent tonight -- rested up.

*(9:25) - Muse just made a big-time save on Kessel, who pinched from the point for a one-timer at the edge of the circle, but was denied by the goalie's left pad.

*(6:27) - Butler puts a one-timer from the slot right into Muse's belly.

*(4:12) - Play is moving up and down, end to end, but neither team has been able to generate much over the last few minutes.

*(0:52.3) - 4-4 Tie - With Foster on his way to the bench for the extra skater, Phil DeSimone raced up the left wing and fired the puck at the feet of Muse, who kicked it out -- but left a juicy rebound for Butler, who shuffled a long-range backhander just under the crossbar to tie the score, get free Frostys for all those in attendance -- and, most importantly, force overtime.

*(0:00) - After UNH's three-goal third, we're headed for some extra hockey. And whatever life might've been missing from this place a couple hours ago has just shown up.

*(5:00) - This could be an enormous five minutes for a young UNH team that could really get some long-term value out of a comeback like this.

*(3:03) - UNH forces icing from BC, evidence of the way the ice is tilting so far in OT.

*(1:29) - Shots are 1-1 so far in OT, though the puck has stayed primarily in the BC zone.

*(1:09) - Timeout Eagles, with a faceoff upcoming in their offensive zone.

*(0:09) - LeBlanc just missed on a pair of great chances, slicing to the net but tucking his shot wide, then, later on the same possession, getting robbed by Muse on his whack at a Kostolansky rebound.

*(0:00) - It's over, and UNH will most certainly accept the point in this one. This is absolutely one they can build on, so stay tuned to see how it carries over Sunday at Lowell.