Box score

Post-game press conference (Jim Madigan, Garrett Vermeersch and Chris Rawlings)

Pre-skate video at Fenway Park (Jan. 11, 2012)

Pre-skate photos at Fenway Park  (Jan. 11, 2012)

The Northeastern men's hockey team battled the elements of brisk wind and frigid temperatures at the Sun Life Frozen Fenway game on Saturday night and ultimately fell to No. 4 Boston College by a 2-1 count at Fenway Park in front of 29,601 fans.

It marked the men's first-ever trip to Fenway Park and Northeastern University's second  trip to 4 Yawkey Way as the women's team battled New Hampshire on Jan. 8, 2010 (L, 3-5).

Junior Garrett Vermeersch posted his third-career four-game point streak with the Huskies' lone goal while rookie Ludwig Karlsson and junior Vinny Saponari aided on the scoring play. Saponari is riding a season best four-game point streak as well.

Boston College outshot Northeastern, 30-15, including a 13-3 in the first period. Junior goaltender Chris Rawlings stopped 28 shots in the setback while BC backstopper Chris Venti turned away 14 shots for his first victory of the season.

The 2-1 decision marked the seventh-consecutive game between Northeastern and Boston College in which the outcome was decided by one goal or less.

Vermeersch caused the first stir outside by nearly tucking it past Venti off the first draw of the game, but the puck steered wide to the back boards.

Boston College responded immediately and ripped three pucks off the pipe with the best chance coming from Kevin Hayes around the 6:30 mark of the first period. The Eagles continued to mount pressure in front of the net, but Rawlings maintained his post and kept BC off the board.

Rookie Joseph Manno bestowed Boston College with the first power play of the contest coming at 6:38 of the first.  Edwin Shea nearly connected with Hayes on the cross-zone pass early in the window, but Rawlings read the play early and snuffed it out on the near post.

Sophomore Anthony Bitetto and junior Justin Daniels nearly linked up during a 4-on-4 situation in front of the net, but Venti thwarted the one-timer bid with the left pad. Both teams let another power play opportunity pass before the first period came to a 0-0 close.

As dusk fell upon Fenway Park to start the second period, Boston College struck first on a turnover behind the Huskies' net. Steven Whitney attacked Rawlings behind the net as he tried to clear the puck, but it trickled out to Pat Mullane where the net was unguarded. Mullane dove at the loose disc and swatted it across the goal line at 4:55 to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

Sophomore Rob Dongara's cross-check at 5:35 did not cause any bother to the Huskies as junior Robbie Vrolyk induced a turnover at the top of NU's zone and raced through the neutral zone on a short-handed bid. Brian Dumoulin had no choice but to drag him down and put Northeastern on the man advantage. Saponari offered up the Huskies' best chance of the period with a one-timer attempt on the doorstop, but Venti slid over to turn the puck away.

Northeastern continued to build momentum after Dongara ripped a slap shot from the left dot, but Venti made a great acrobatic save at the 11:00-minute mark to keep Boston College ahead with the one-goal lead.

The Huskies did not relent and finally tied the game up on a Vermeersch wrister at 16:19 of the second. Freshman Ludwig Karlsson cleanly won a draw out to Saponari on the wing. Vermeersch crashed the left circle and flung the wrister from Saponari through Venti to knot the game up, 1-1.

Northeastern had an opportunity to take its first lead after Isaac MacLeod was sent off for hooking at 2:15 of the third, but the Huskies' power play backfired and the Eagles countered with the short-handed tally at 4:02.

Danny Linell sent a home run pass out to Chris Kreider at the half boards from deep within Eagles' ice. Kreider had the angle on his defender and sped down the left side of the sheet. Kreider cut across the crease on a quick deke and nearly bulldozed Rawlings on the move, but the puck still found its way across the line to put Boston College back up a goal, 2-1.

First-year defender Dan Cornell committed an interference call at 10:20 of the third, but no harm took place within the two-minute window. Ten seconds after the penalty expired, Johnny Gaurdreau appeared to make it a 3-1 count with a quick snap shot off the near post, but after further review, the officials deemed the net to be off its bearing and rendered the call no goal.

Boston College sat on the puck for the duration of the third. Despite a timeout by head coach Jim Madigan, leading to the extra skater, the Eagles kept Northeastern from tying the game and skated away with the 2-1 victory.

Northeastern returns to play indoor hockey on Friday, Jan. 20 with its only trip to Tsongas Center for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. The Huskies welcome back the River Hawks to conclude the season series on Saturday night, Jan. 21, at Matthews Arena (7 p.m.).