Bates College Men's Ice Hockey

League play began for Bates on Saturday, November 14 in Foxboro, MA. The Bobcats took on the Boston College Eagles in a road match up against the #2 ranked team in the Northeast.

The Eagles struck first, 5:55 into the first period, on a shot that found its way past a slew of players in a mad scramble for the puck and into the back of net. As a physical first period was winding down with the score still 1-0 favoring Boston College, Wes Chaput '10 streaked down the right flank with the puck, past an Eagles defenseman, and across the crease before burying the puck into the back of the twine to even the score at 1-1. The goal came with just 15 seconds remaining in the first period and sent the teams to the locker rooms knotted on the scoreboard.

Boston College came out in the second period with an early goal, just 3:18 into the second stanza, to regain the lead. Ten minutes later the Eagles struck again to widen their lead to 3-1. As Bates searched for an answer to their scoreboard woes, Cam Chaput '12 proved to be the solution as he took a beautiful feed from Miles Davee '11 and worked his way around a Boston College defenseman before unleashing a wicked backhander into the top of the net with 4 minutes remaining in the second period. The score would remain 3-2 Boston College after two periods of play.

As the third period resumed play, the level of intensity remained high as many players delivered big hits. The score remained 3-2 until the final minute of play as Boston College iced the game with a long flip from their own end of the ice into an empty net.

The checking and hard hits were especially delivered by the defensemen –Billy Kenny '10, Dan Roop '10, Paul Stanton '10 , Aaron Kaplan '12, Matt Williams '13, and Paul Troiano '13– who played a solid game on the backline for the Bobcats. Charlie Clark '13 and his tenacious forecheck proved to be a handful for the Eagles as he worked hard in the trenches and never shied away from contact.

Goalie Joe Doody '11 (1-1) was in net for the Bobcats and made a number of key saves to keep the score tight, including a big stop with the paddle of his stick during a scrum in front of the net in the second period and a beautiful poke check in the third period to deny a good scoring chance for the Eagles.

Final score: Boston College 4, Bates College 2
Scoring:
1st period / 19:45 - W. Chaput (4)
2nd period / 16:00 - C. Chaput (2) from M. Davee, W. Chaput