Written By: Kip
10/22/2019
It was October 11, and Alex Newhook was not having a good night. In the last 4 minutes, he had been hit so hard he lost his helmet, almost fell off his team’s bench, and had just been beaten in a footrace by Owen Lindmark of the Wisconsin Badgers, who then went on to score a shorthanded goal. Despite his team, the Boston College Eagles, being up 4-2 at their home opener, the Eagles seemed to be struggling in the second period.
“Alex Newhook was not having a good night.”
The first period had been a strong start for the Eagles, with 2 even strength goals, and a hatty watch for senior Julius Mattila. To no one’s surprise, Mattila had been an impressive player all night: by the end of the third, he had collected 2 goals and one assist on a goal from junior captain David Cotton. David Cotton was also a formidable player that night, assisting on two goals and potting one for himself.
This seemed to be a theme for Boston College’s opening night—the big name players missing easy plays and fading into the background while older, veteran BC athletes stepped up.
This isn’t to say that Wisconsin was lacking in good players—Owen Lindmark was a steady presence in BC’s zone, and balanced a physical game with a good offensive presence. Continuing his style of play from the NTDP, Cole Caulfield scored twice that night, both on power plays.
Throughout the game, BC moved the puck efficiently, keeping Wisconsin solidly in their own zone. BC also had a good number of breakaways (hello, Julius Mattila!), and their starting line of David Cotton, Julius Mattila, and Logan Hutsko bringing the puck through the zones dynamically and quickly. The effectiveness of this line isn’t a surprise—Mattila’s been a constant point producer for years, even with the addition and subtraction of more popular players.
In hockey, we’re often subjected to the same storylines over and over again—the extreme rivalries, the superstar and the veteran battling for positions, the shiny and new players taking the spotlight from the older point producers. But I think the story that began at BC’s home opener is a new one, one we don’t hear frequently.
I don’t think the story of BC’s home opener is the story of the big names, of Cole Caulfield and Alex Newhook. I think it’s the story of veterans and players who have been passed over, time and time again. I think it’s the story of players like David Cotton, Owen Lindmark, and Julius Mattila.