Boston College's 'Johnny Hockey' Off To A Hot Start

Chestnut Hill, Mass. - There was some doubt as to whether or not Johnny Gaudreau had just recorded his 100^th point.

The Boston College forward, sitting one point away from the milestone, made a play along the boards to get the puck to Kevin Hayes. The puck then ended up on the stick of Austin Cangelosi, who roofed the game's first goal. But whether Hayes made the pass, or if it came of Wisconsin stick, was unclear.

Gaudreau, though, would emphatically clear up any 100-point plateau questions a few minutes later.

The five-foot-seven junior put an exclamation on the milestone, scoring on a smooth breakaway goal just 2:16 after Cangelosi's tally. He had recorded his 100^th point, or possibly his 101^st, and had done so in style.

"My freshman and sophomore years, I got to play with Steve Whitney and Pat Mullane," said Gaudreau, after Boston College defeated Wisconsin on Friday night. "I wouldn't be here with my 100^th point without those two guys my first two seasons here."

On his goal, Gaudreau displayed what has made him such a nuisance for opposing teams to deal with in his first 82 collegiate games. Making a play at his defensive blue line, the 5-foot-7 speedsters took off. And when Gaudreau gets galloping in the open ice behind the defense, it's not likely he'll be caught.

"It's just been a really fun three years here so far, and I'm extremely grateful that I've gotten to play with some great players over the past two, three years here so far." Gaudreau said. "Last year - both [Whitney] and [Mullane] - I got to watch them get their 100^th point, and it was just something for me to look up at them and see them get the chance to hold their pucks like that."

Through three games this season, Gaudreau has found the scoresheet in each one, and leads the Eagles with seven points. The 2013 Hobey Baker finalist just completed the equivalent of an NHL-length season at BC, racking up 102 points in that span

Even against Wisconsin, in a game that featured 18 players who have been drafted by NHL teams, Gaudreau was noticeably the best on the ice. And as chants of "Johnny Hockey" rained down during the Eagles' 9-2 drubbing of the Badgers Friday night, it's not too farfetched to think Gaudreau will be once again considered as the nation's top players.

"I'm pretty honored to get the chance to be in that group of extremely talented guys that have made that mark," said Gaudreau, who became the 74^th Eagle all-time to record his 100^th point.

Not once did head coach Jerry York make reference of Gaudreau's accomplishment in the postgame. In a sense, it's trivial to a Boston College team that has its sights set on trying to capture another national championship, which would mark Gaudreau's second as a player, and the program's fourth in seven years.

"I thought Johhny played extremely well," said York. But that was it. Then it was on to the team's goals, the same sentiments Gaudreau expressed, deflecting the focus off himself.

When Gaudreau won a National Championship as a freshman, he scored a crucial goal against Ferris State to give BC a two-goal edge late in the game. Of course, Gaudreau was no average first-year collegiate, posting over a point per game in his first season. But now, being the "old man in the room," the junior is taking on a different role.

"Our young kids watch the older kids play," said York. "Johnny was watching Pat Mullane and Steve Whitney, and now the kids are watching how Johnny plays, how Kevin Hayes plays."