Boston College
! Providence (HOCKEY EAST Championship)
HOCKEY EAST Champions!
March 17, 2001 | Men's Hockey
March 17, 2001
Boston - Boston College won its third HOCKEY EAST Tournament title in four years with its 5-3 win over Providence College in front of 13,602 fans at the FleetCenter. Freshman Tony Voce scored two goals, including the game-winner as the Eagles added the league's tournament title to its regular-season title they earned on Mar. 1.
Providence opened the scoring just 2:24 into the game when Drew Omicioli netted a rebound off a Peter Zingoni shot. Boston College answered with four straight goals, to take a 4-1 lead in the second period.
Mike Lephart tied the score at 14:34 of the first period when he picked up a pass from Ales Dolinar and skated in shorthanded. He pulled Friar goalkeeper Nolan Schaefer out of the net and wrapped the puck around the back of the far post for the equalizer.
Tony Voce intercepted a pass 1:48 later and broke in from the red line for the one-on-none breakaway goal to make it a 2-1 contest. BC made it a two-goal game headed into the first intermission as Krys Kolanos stuffed home a rebound off a Brooks Orpik shot at 19:21.
Voce continued the Eagles' scoring binge with a power-play goal at 6:23 of the second period to give the Eagles a 4-1 lead. Providence quickly made it a 4-2 game when Mike Lucci lifted the puck past Scott Clemmensen off a scramble in front of the net at 6:51. The Friars added another goal at 13:08 from Adam Lee as he slid the puck in by the post to make it a 4-3 game headed into the second intermission.
Brian Gionta netted his 33rd goal of the season at 11:54 of the third period to give BC a 5-3 lead. Ben Eaves fed Gionta, who was alone in front, from behind the net.
Freshman Chuck Kobasew, the HOCKEY EAST Rookie of the Year, was earned the tournament's Most Valuable Player honors. He also joined Voce, Clemmensen and senior defenseman Bobby Allen on the team, as well as Providence's Regan Kelly and Boston University's Mike Pandolfo on the All-Tournament Team.
With the win, the second-ranked Eagles improved to 30-8-2 on the season, while Providence fell to 22-12-5. As the HOCKEY EAST Tournament champions, Boston College will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, matchups will be announced Sunday, Mar. 18, at 1:30 p.m., on ESPN2.
