Boston College Clinches Hockey East Title With Dominating Win Over BU

BOSTON — The BC Eagles and BU Terriers met for the third time in the Hockey East title game.

In the two previous meetings the Terriers bested the Eagles, but BC would win the “Battle of Comm Ave on Causeway” with a 6-2 victory at TD Garden on Saturday.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Despite being outshot 12-8 in the opening period, the Eagles skated into the first intermission with a 2-0 advantage.

Special teams were the key for BC.

Freshman forward Will Smith lit the lamp twice in the period for the Eagles, both while on the power play. Eamon Powell earned assists on both goals. The BC penalty killers also came up big for the Eagles in the first period, keeping the Terriers off the board on two opportunities. Smith would add a third goal in the final period to complete the hat trick.

The Terriers cut the lead in half at 4:24 of the second period when Gavin McCarthy scored the first goal of his collegiate career.

Cutter Gauthier restored the two-goal lead with 1:14 remaining in the second period for the third Eagles power-play tally in the contest.

Four of the five BC goals were on the power play. BU went 1-for-5 on the man advantage. Macklin Celebrini notched his 31st goal of the season for the Terriers while Jamie Armstrong was serving a five minute penalty for contact to the head.

The Eagles extended their winning streak to 12 games and captured their first Hockey East championship since 2012. It is the 12th title in program history.

Jacob Fowler stopped 34 shots for the Eagles. Across the ice, Mathieu Caron made 23 saves for the Terriers.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Smith scored four goals for the Eagles. The four tallies brought Smith to 23 goals on the season. The San Jose Sharks prospect also had an assist on Gauthier’s third-period goal.

— Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the Eagles. His tally in the second period was his 35th of the season.

— McCarthy scored his first collegiate goal in the second period to bring the Terriers within one.

UP NEXT
Both BC and BU earned bids to the 2024 Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship tournament. The bracket will be announced on Sunday, March 24.