Boston College (BC) couldn’t buy a third and tying goal in the dying minutes of the national semifinal in Tampa against No. 1 ranked Quinnipiac on Thursday night.
Multiple highlight-reel saves by Quinnipiac goaltender Michael Garteig, a couple of clutch blocked shots by the Bobcat backcheck, and three goals from sophomores sealed the Bobcats one-goal victory.
Quinnipiac advances to their second-ever NCAA championship game on Saturday.
Quinnipiac sophomore Kevin McKernan surprised many by scoring the first goal.
McKernan has kept a steady spot on the roster more for his defensive efforts this season, but he had an offensive mindset just two and a half minutes into the first period.
McKernan pinched in the offensive zone, when the Eagles turned the puck over in the slot.
The Massachusetts native corralled the puck and took a sharp wrist shot, sending the puck by Hobey Baker Award finalist Thatcher Demko.
Quinnipiac sophomore Andrew Taverner followed up about five minutes later, one-timing a pass from behind the net from Travis St. Denis.
“It was a fairly safe play and all of a sudden they’re (up) 1-0,” BC head coach Jerry York said. “And the second goal was similar. Both came off turnovers, deep in our zone.”
Boston College, down 2-0 heading into the middle frame, answered 23 seconds into the second period. Alex Tuch cut the deficit in half, throwing the puck past Garteig after the initial save was made.
Later on in the second, the Bobcats regained a two-goal lead on the power play.
There was a scramble in front of the net, leading the puck to its deflection, popping up in the air, and landing in the crease.
Quinnipiac sophomore Landon Smith was there to poke it home for the Bobcats.
The Eagles certainly weren’t going away easily, though.
Late in the third, Quinnipiac found itself on its fifth penalty kill of the game.
The Bobcats had strong showings on the penalty kill previous times in the game, truly stymieing the Eagles.
“I think they played within the structure well,” BC’s Steve Santini said. “They knew who our top guys were and what we were trying to do.”
Ryan Fitzgerald changed that, bringing the Eagles back within one on the power play, a similar goal to Tuch’s, cashing in on a rebound.
The game was more intense and a bit frightening for Bobcat fans as the Eagles continued to threaten to tie the game.
“I liked the way we rebounded,” York said. “With the goaltender pulled, I thought we had two really exceptional chances to score that (Garteig) made unbelievable saves on. One was low to his pad on the left side, and then when Ian put all the wood on it, four, five seconds left, he made a terrific glove save in the top, and that…ended our season for us.”
“I don’t think it was the prettiest game on the planet, but this team is resilient,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said.
Two weeks ago in Albany, it was Rochester’s head coach Wayne Wilson who used that word to describe his team after being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by the Bobcats.
But this time around, it was Pecknold using it to describe those same Bobcats.
“It’s great character, great culture. And all year long we have found ways to win,” Pecknold said. “That’s what we do.”
The Bobcats will take on the Fighting Hawks of the University of North Dakota in the NCAA championship game on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Amalie Arena, a rematch of last year’s NCAA West Regional semifinal.
