Courtesy Vermont Sports Information

CHESTNUT HILL, MA. – 3-seed Boston College took a 1-0 series lead with a 7-0 shutout of 6-seed Vermont on Friday night to open the Hockey East Quarterfinals at Conte Forum. The Catamounts will have to take Game 2 for the third straight year on Saturday to extend the best-of-three series.

UVM dropped to 20-12-5 with just its second loss in the last seven games, while Boston College improved to 19-14-4 and snapped a seven-game winless streak in the process.

The Eagles struck directly off the opening faceoff just eight seconds in when Austin Cangelosi’s centering pass deflected off a Catamount defenseman into the net past a sprawling Stefanos Lekkas (20 saves).

Just over five minutes later, Boston College connected again on a Colin White breakaway. White hopped over the boards on a line change and reeled in a stretch pass from Luke McInnis, before lifting a forehand into the roof of the net at 5:15.

The Eagles extended the lead to 3-0 with less than six minutes left in the first as David Cotton sent a pass to Casey Fitzgerald at the blueline. Fitzgerald set up McInnis in the high slot and the rookie fired a shot through traffic to beat a screened Lekkas blocker side.

McInnis was the catalyst on BC’s fourth tally at 5:27 of the middle frame as he sent Matthew Gaudreau into the left side of the UVM zone for another breakaway. Gaudreau dangled to his forehand and tucked a shot inside the left post for a 4-0 cushion.

Boston College added three goals in the third, including a pair from Chris Brown, to seal the Game 1 victory. Joseph Wall made 22 saves in the BC net for his first career shutout.

Game 2 of the series begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday (March 11) at Conte Forum. Live video is available on a pay-per-view basis through HockeyEastOnline.TV, and pre-game radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on WVMT 620-AM and UVMathletics.com/Listen with Alastair Ingram on the call.