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Beatdown in Beantown: No. 7 Boston College blows out No. 2 Wisconsin, 9-2

No. 2 ranked Wisconsin was steamrolled in its first road test of the season, 9-2, at Boston College in the Big Ten/Hockey East Challenge.

By Andy Johnson
Goal celebrations were commonplace for Boston College Friday night against Wisconsin.
Goal celebrations were commonplace for Boston College Friday night against Wisconsin.
Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Welcome back to reality, Wisconsin.

Coming into the weekend 2-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country, the Wisconsin men's hockey team certainly didn't act like it in front of a sold out crowd in Chestnut Hill at Kelley Rink at Conte Forum Friday night.

The Badgers fell behind 4-0 in the first period, and never made a game of it, dropping their first road contest of the season to Boston College, 9-2.

Freshman Austin Cangelosi jump-started the Eagles, scoring two goals on the same shift just 50 seconds apart, 10:14 into the opening stanza.

A breakaway goal from Hobey Baker candidate Johnny Gaudreau extended the lead to 3-0, while a goal off a faceoff from Hudson, Wis., native Ian McCoshen at the 15:53 mark of the first gave BC all they would need in the route of the Badgers.

More: Box score Landon Peterson postgame interview Jake McCabe postgame interview

"This was an old-fashioned butt-kicking," Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said after the game. "Look that up in the dictionary and you might see this game."

While he was far from the problem Friday night, Wisconsin starting goaltender Landon Peterson was pulled after BC made it 6-0 just 1:45 into the second period.

To be completely honest, it could have been significantly worse had Peterson not made numerous saves to keep the game competitive in the early going.

Peterson was replaced by third-string goaltender Adam Miller, who made the trip to Boston after Joel Rumpel couldn't make the trip due to a high ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out at least the next two weeks.

For playing his first extended game action at the D1 level, Miller held his own, allowing three goals on 27 shots. The overall numbers aren't eye popping, but the sophomore from Long Grove, Ill., made numerous highlight reel saves in loss.

"Two of our greatest fears coming into the game was to play our first game on a small sheet against a quick team, and a team that was fired up to play for their coach," Eaves said. "Our hope was to survive the first period, and we didn't."

For Wisconsin fans who watched the game, the loss should remind people of the UMass-Lowell defeat in the NCAA tournament last season. Once again the Badgers were the significantly slower club, and were beaten on numerous odd-man rushes. If UW wants to be a Frozen Four type team this season, they must find a way to play with much more urgency going forward.

That said, it seemed as if every single break that went to Boston College ended up in the back of the net.

"There's no way we're seven goals better than the Badgers," Boston College head coach Jerry York said. "But tonight, everything we did turned to goals."

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