Union 5, Boston College 4: Dutchmen End Eagles’ Season in Frozen Four
By Joe Micik
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
#2 Boston College Eagles hockey’s season is over, as on Thursday evening in Philadelphia, they fell to the Union Dutchmen, 5-4.
The Dutchmen will advance to their first-ever national championship game while the Eagles miss out on their chance to gain a sixth star on the back of their jerseys.
| BC | Johnny Gaudreau | 2:08 1st | Hayes, Arnold | UC 0 | BC 1 |
| UC | Mat Bodie | 2:39 2nd | Gingras | UC 1 | BC 1 |
| UC | Daniel Ciampini | 10:45 2nd | Gostisbehere, Carr | UC 2 | BC 1 |
| BC | Steve Santini | 15:53 2nd | Calnan, Gilmour | UC 2 | BC 2 |
| UC | Daniel Ciampini (PP) | 6:31 3rd | Gostisbehere, Vecchione | UC 3 | BC 2 |
| UC | Mike Vecchione | 11:54 3rd | Sullivan | UC 4 | BC 2 |
| BC | Ryan Fitzgerald (EA) | 18:15 3rd | Matheson, Gaudreau | UC 4 | BC 3 |
| UC | Daniel Ciampini (EN, HT) | 18:51 3rd | Bodie | UC 5 | BC 3 |
| BC | Patrick Brown (PP) | 19:55 3rd | Gaudreau, Hayes | UC 5 | BC 4 |
Boston College struck first on a Johnny Gaudreau goal early, taking a 1-0 lead despite Union controlling play in the first couple minutes. They would take that lead into the intermission, but the Dutchmen struck back for two in the second after sustaining a lopsided amount of pressure. Union went ahead 2-1, but late in the middle period, Boston College’s Steve Santini was able to tie the game, 2-2.
With the score knotted at the start of the third, Daniel Ciampini scored his second of the game on the power play to put Union up, 3-2. Shortly thereafter, a five-minute major and game misconduct assessed to Matt Hatch for hitting Michael Sit from behind gave Boston College a prime opportunity to tie the game. The Eagles power play looked disjointed and lacking in urgency, as Union would kill it without too much effort, scoring on a breakaway shortly after the kill to go up, 4-2.
From there, Boston College would close to back to within one with Thatcher Demko pulled, but then give it right back on a hat-trick goal with an empty net. The Eagles’ final goal was virtually meaningless at it came with just seconds to play.
Boston College was not the better team on Thursday, and the end result reflects that. Union is a legitimately elite team, and they played like champions. The Eagles left Demko hanging out to dry for long stretches, and his performance in keeping with that was admirable.
Despite the outcome, Boston College can be commended for another strong season.
Attention will now turn to Johnny Gaudreau, his likely Hobey Baker win on Friday, and whether or not he will be on his way to the pros.