ST. PAUL, Minn. — Early on, it looked like the Michigan Wolverines were up to the challenge despite facing the tournament’s top overall seed and falling behind in a hurry.
But once the deep and powerful Boston College Eagles got going halfway through the game, Michigan couldn’t respond and its pursuit of a 10th championship and first since 1998 came to a halt in a 4-0 defeat Thursday at Xcel Energy Center.
Meanwhile, the pursuit of a sixth title remains alive and well for the Hockey East regular-season and tournament champion Eagles, who have won 15 games in a row and 20 of their last 21.
They were outshot 32-22 by the Wolverines, but it always felt like Boston College was in control as it jumped on its opportunities.
“I thought we did a great job of capitalizing when we had chances,” BC coach Greg Brown said.
It didn’t take long for BC to make its presence felt as it scored just 1:20 into the contest with Will Smith converting on a 2-on-1 with Ryan Leonard. But Michigan ended up outshooting the Eagles 9-6 for the period and even had more chances, so the Wolverines wouldn’t go away quietly initially.
That is, until Smith, Hobey Baker Award finalist Cutter Gauthier and the mighty Eagles offense took control in the second period. Smith’s second goal, 24th of the season and nation-leading 71st point somehow went in from behind the net when his shot pinballed off both ankles of Michigan defenseman Ethan Edwards and through the five-hole of Jake Barczewski.
Then Gauthier scored his 38th goal of the season on a breakaway just 49 seconds later at 13:14, making it a 3-0 BC lead in a hurry and leaving the shellshocked Wolverines in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Gabe Perrault joined the fun with an easy-looking wraparound goal early in the third, basically summing up how easy his team has made it look at times this season. While young, they’re a skilled group.
“We’ve said many times we’re a very competitive group with a lot of high octane on the offensive side,” said Gauthier. “It’s just the confidence we had that we built up over the last eight, nine months in practice and competing against the best players in the country.”
Now the nation’s second most powerful offense (4.59 goals per game entering the Frozen Four) moves on to face the only team ahead of them in that department: Denver, a 2-1 overtime winner over Boston University earlier Thursday.
The Pioneers and Eagles met on Oct. 21 in Chestnut Hill, with DU handing BC its first loss of the season 4-3. It was one of two instances over the entire season where Boston College blew a third-period lead — it won its other 25.
“We’ve improved a lot,” Brown said when asked about that previous meeting. “Both teams are creating offense. And when you play against a team that’s that gifted offensively you know you have to manage the puck because if you give them free chances they’re going to make you pay.”
