When top-ranked Boston College and No. 9-ranked Boston University match in an athletic event, the sides certainly do not share game plans. Neither team seemed to have a problem figuring out the opposite side in the first period of Friday's 260th all-time meeting at Agganis Arena as they played to a very entertaining scoreless stanza.
Goaltending was the unquestionable story as BC senior Parker Milner and BU rookie Matt O'Connor matched each other save-for-save. The Eagles held a 18-14 shots advantage in the period.
After the sides felt themselves out for the first five minutes or so, the final 15 of the stanza were pretty impressive at each end as the pucks flew towards goal. Neither side was able to find the back of the net, thanks to some stifling defense that saw six blocked shots for each team.
The best chance of the contest came off the stick of BU sophomore Alexx Privitera as he whistled a shot from the slot off Milner's right post in the final minute.
Joshua Kummins is the Hockey East beat writer and a weekend editor for SB Nation Boston. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKummins.