As the puck dropped on the 2025-26 college hockey season at Conte Forum Friday night, it was two Bruins prospects lining up across from each other for the opening faceoff. On the Boston College side was the most hyped Bruins prospect in at least a decade, 2025 seventh overall pick James Hagens. On the Quinnipiac side, it was 2023 third-round pick Chris Pelosi.
It's Hagens that Bruins fans and media are going to be following closest this season, but it was Pelosi who ultimately emerged as the hero on Friday, scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal in a 4-3 victory for the 13th-ranked Bobcats over the sixth-ranked Eagles.
That goal came with 7:52 left in the second period, and it was the product of sheer hard work. A shot from defenseman Charlie Leddy (a former Eagle, by the way) hit the post and pinballed around the crease. Pelosi, set up in front, just kept battling and jamming away and eventually poked the loose puck over the line.
It was a fitting winning goal, because Quinnipiac outworking BC was a bit of a theme in this one. The Bobcats were able to grind the Eagles down with their forecheck and offensive-zone cycle game, and they suffocated a BC transition game that should look more dangerous moving forward. When it was all said and done, Quinnipiac had doubled up BC in shots on goal, 30-15.
It was also a fitting goal for Pelosi, a sophomore center who makes a living in front of the net, something he’s getting even better at as he continues to get stronger and grow into his 6-foot-2 frame. According to Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold, Pelosi put on 16 pounds of muscle this season.
“It's just a natural maturation process for him,” Pecknold said of Pelosi. “He started out last year, he was good in the beginning of the year, and he got better and just climbed as the season went on. I thought he was great in February and March for us. Went out this summer, put on 16 pounds of muscle. He's big and strong now, and I thought he was one of our better players tonight.”
The Bruins’ other Quinnipiac prospect, 2024 fourth-round pick Elliotte Groenewold, didn’t get on the scoresheet, but the sophomore defenseman did play big minutes on the top pair and was a plus-2 as a steadying presence while often matching up against BC’s top lines.
Speaking of the Eagles’ top lines, Hagens is of course the locked-in No. 1 center. He opened the season with Nashville Predators prospect Teddy Stiga on one wing and Los Angeles Kings prospect and University of New Hampshire transfer Ryan Conmy on the other.
BC’s second line was all Bruins prospects, with 2025 second-round pick Will Moore centering 2021 fifth-round pick Oskar Jellvik and 2021 seventh-round pick Andre Gasseau. The Bruins’ 2024 first-round pick, Dean Letourneau, centered the third line between Jake Sondreal and Will Vote.
That group got just about shut down at 5-on-5 against a Quinnipiac team that is always among the stingiest in the country. They did at least break through on the power play, going 2-for-3 on the man advantage.
Gasseau, a senior captain, assisted on all three BC goals to pace the offense, while Hagens and Moore each recorded an assist as well. It was the first collegiate point for the freshman Moore. Letourneau did not get on the score sheet, but he did throw two big open-ice hits, an encouraging sign after he didn’t really use his massive 6-foot-7, 228-pound frame enough as a freshman.
Hagens’ assist came on the power play, as he made a short pass down to Conmy in the slot for the finish. Hagens did not land a single shot on goal, though. He had a good chance early on, but passed out of a 2-on-1. Ultimately, it was a pretty disappointing opener for both the Eagles as a whole and Hagens in particular.
BC coach Greg Brown felt that Hagens and BC’s other top players were trying to do too much, especially early on.
“They had glimpses,” Brown said of Hagens’ line. “I thought early on, felt like they were trying to do a little too much, trying to force some plays that weren't really there, because Quinnipiac had numbers back. But when they did get open ice, they were quick. They had some passes. Puck was bouncing a little bit tonight, so they missed a few that I think we'll capitalize on later. But you can tell that there's three guys with quickness, they play with their heads up, and they're going to be a big driving force for us.”
The schedule doesn’t get any easier the Eagles next weekend, as they head out to Minnesota for a pair of games against the eighth-ranked Golden Gophers.