PROVIDENCE, R.I — No one was surprised when Boston College, the top-ranked team in the country, scored a goal in the opening minute of its NCAA regional opener.
What was surprising, however, was how hard BC had to work during the first two periods before pulling away in the third to finally send CCHA champion Michigan Tech packing. The Hockey East champ Eagles wound up cruising to a 6-1 win at Amica Mutual Pavilion to advance to Sunday’s regional final vs. either Quinnipiac or Wisconsin.
“The NCAA tournament is no joke,” said BC’s Ryan Leonard, who scored twice. “The opponent on the other side is always going to try to take you down, beat you and break you down in any way possible. But we know once we stick to our game plan and play the way that we’re supposed to, we know there’s not a team that can stop us.”
Cutter Gauthier’s goal just 36 seconds into the game appeared to set the tone for an easy afternoon for the No. 1 Eagles, but it turned into anything but.
The Huskies got a shorthanded goal from Max Koskipirtti at 12:55 of the first period to tie it 1-1, which is where it stood after one.
Leonard put BC up 2-1 at 6:57 of the second period, but the rout expected by fans and prognosticators alike didn’t come until the third, when goals by Connor Joyce and Oskar Jellvik, another from Leonard and another from Gauthier put the game out of reach.
“With NCAA games, it’s always an incredible battle,” BC coach Greg Brown said. “We obviously had a great start with Cutter scoring early, but from that point on Michigan Tech really came hard.”
Gauthier made his NCAA tournament debut a memorable one when he beat a Michigan Tech defender, caught in stride a pass from Jellvik, and whipped the puck past Husky goalie Blake Pietila (32 saves) for an early 1-0 lead.
“Jelly had a boatload of speed,” Gauthier said. “(He) has eyes on the back of his head. I was calling for the puck, and he made a great spin pass there. I was just trying to get the puck on the ice and make it quick.”
Jellvik’s goal in today’s dub was a beaut 🎥 pic.twitter.com/J3uyl4kHzE
— BC Men's Hockey (@BC_MHockey) March 29, 2024
Koskipirtti made it 1-1 when he scooped up the puck behind the red line on a BC power play, skated down the right wing and fired it into the net on the near side of Eagle netminder Jacob Fowler (23 saves).
It was only the second shorthanded goal surrendered by BC all season.
“I thought we stayed above the puck,” Michigan Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “They’re a tremendous transition team. Their guys like to pull and they like to get behind you. (You) don’t have to give them a whole lot of time.”
Leonard pounded home a rebound of a Jack Malone shot to put BC up 2-1 in the second. Leonard’s shot came as he was simultaneously knocked on his backside by Michigan Tech’s Chase Pietila.
Joyce gave BC the insurance goal it had been seeking all afternoon with his second goal of the season at 4:47 of the third. Once Joyce lit the lamp, the floodgates opened, as the Eagles’ next three goals came in a span of about six and a half minutes.
