Boston College Wins 12th Hockey East Tournament Championship

BOSTON – No. 1 Boston College men's hockey won its 12th Hockey East Tournament Championship in a 6-2 win over No. 2 Boston University at TD Garden on Saturday night. Freshman Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) scored four goals, including two power play goals in the first period.

The Boston College (31-5-1) penalty kill, tops in the nation, shut down the Terriers NCAA-leading power play through the first two periods. The Eagles' power play unit proceeded to score on each of its three power plays through the first two stanzas.

Freshman goaltender Jacob Fowler (Melbourne, Fla.) was rock solid in net for BC, totaling 34 saves.

For the second night in a row, BC capitalized on its first power play of the game. This time it was for the lead, shortly after the Eagles killed off the first penalty of the night. Smith fired a shot from the left point that ricocheted off a BU skate and into the back of the net. Smith and BC's top power play unit took advantage again just three minutes later as he beat the Terrier goalie top-shelf on the stickside. Senior defenseman Eamon Powell (Marcellus, N.Y.) started the offense in the defensive zone with a pass to freshman Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale, Ill.), who threaded a cross-ice pass from left-to-right for an open Smith.

Gavin McCarthy drew Boston University (26-9-2) within a goal as he scored early in the second. The Terriers took a penalty with just over two minutes left in the frame and the Eagles cashed in with the NCAA-leading 35th goal of the season from sophomore Cutter Gauthier (Scottsdale, Ariz.). Smith, who broke the BC freshman point record on the play, sent a pass to Perreault, who skated to the left of the net and slid a pass across the slot for an open Gauthier.

Gauthier and Perreault each recorded three points with a pair of assists. Powell and freshman Ryan Leonard (Amherst, Mass.) chipped in with two assists.

SCORING
1st         5:46    BC       Will Smith (Eamon Powell, Cutter Gauthier) - PP
1st         8:37    BC       Smith (Gabe Perreault, Powell) - PP
2nd       4:24    BU       Gavin McCarthy (Ryan Greene)
2nd      18:46    BC       Gauthier (Perreault, Smith) - PP
3rd        6:46    BC       Smith (Ryan Leonard)
3rd       11:32    BC       Perreault (Gauthier, Leonard)
3rd       14:45    BU       Macklin Celebrini (Lane Hutson, Greene) - PP
3rd       18:04    BC       Smith - EN

GAME NOTES

BC won its 12th Hockey East Tournament Championship and first since 2012.
BC is 79-37-2 all-time in the Hockey East Tournament and 5-10, including 1-2, against BU in the tournament.
BC has won 12 in a row; the first unbeaten streak of 10 or more games by a Hockey East team since UMass' 14-game streak on the way to its 2021 National Championship.
Fowler won his 29th game, which is one behind Al Montoya (Michigan, 2002-03) for the most in NCAA history by a freshman.
Fowler posted his 11th game of 30 or more saves.
Gauthier scored his nation-leading 35th goal of the season. He is tied with Kevin Stevens (1986-87), Dave Emma (1990-91) and Nathan Gerbe (2007-08) for the fifth most in a single season in BC history. Emma (1989-90) holds the all-time record at 38.
Perreault scored and collected two assists to push his point streak to 18 games, the longest active streak in the country and tied with Smith for the longest in NCAA this season.
Smith recorded his 22nd multi-point game, third multi-goal game and first hat trick of the season; the first by a freshman in the Hockey East Championship Game and just third overall and second by an Eagle. Matt Lombardi scored a hat trick in a 2010 win over Maine.
Smith's 67 points are the most in a season by a BC freshman, passing Ken Hodge's (1984-85) 65. He also tied Hodge for the freshman record in assists at 44.
Smith became the first Eagle with two power play goals in the same period since JD Dudek and Austin Cangelosi each did so against Vermont (3/11/17) in the Hockey East quarterfinals.
Smith became the first Eagle with four goals in a game since Nathan Gerbe at Harvard (2/12/07).
Smith's five points are the most by an Eagle since Alex Newhook recorded five points vs. UMass Lowell (3/17/21) in the Hockey East semifinals.

UP NEXT
The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU following the Women's Hockey National Championship Game. The tournament's regional round begins Thursday and Friday of next week.

Boston College Wins 12th Hockey East Tournament Championship

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Team Stats

Will Smith

Cutter Gauthier

Gabe Perreault

Ryan Leonard

Players Mentioned

Jacob Fowler

Cutter Gauthier

Ryan Leonard

Gabe Perreault

Eamon Powell

Will Smith

Players Mentioned

Jacob Fowler

Cutter Gauthier

Ryan Leonard

Gabe Perreault

Eamon Powell

Will Smith