Boston College Holds Off Boston University In Hockey East Semifinals, 3-2
Joseph Woll makes 42 saves and Ryan Fitzgerald scores two goals for Eagles

Freshman goaltender Joseph Woll made 42 saves for the Eagles
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
2nd 1:58  BC1-0 EV Julius Mattila (8)Scott Savage/21, Jesper Mattila/7
2nd 13:21  BC2-0 SH Ryan Fitzgerald (10)Christopher Brown/16, Scott Savage/22
3rd 0:58  BC3-0 EV GW Ryan Fitzgerald (11)Christopher Brown/17, Matthew Gaudreau/27
3rd 17:36  BU1-3 EV EA Jordan Greenway (10)Clayton Keller/22, Bobo Carpenter/18
3rd 18:38  BU2-3 EV EA Clayton Keller (20)Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson/19, Jordan Greenway/20
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Boston College  0213
Boston University  0022
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Boston College  917935
Boston University  12102244
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Boston College (21-14-4)  0/4 10/36 1
Boston University (23-11-3)  0/5 8/35 0
Boston College Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Joseph Woll (W, 17-12-3)59:322 12102042
Empty Net0:280     
Boston University Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Jake Oettinger (L, 20-10-3)56:423 915832
Empty Net3:180     

BOSTON, Mass.- Joseph Woll (St. Louis, Mo.) stopped 42 shots and Ryan Fitzgerald (North Reading, Mass.) scored twice, including a second period shorthanded goal, as third-seeded Boston College held off second-seeded Boston University, 3-2, in the second semifinal of the 33rd annual Hockey East Championship Friday night at TD Garden.

The Eagles advance to the title game for a record 17th time and will face top-seeded UMass Lowell, who topped fourth-seeded Notre Dame, 5-1, in Friday's semifinal lidlifter. BC and the River Hawks will meet Saturday at 7 p.m. (TV: NESN,ESPN3) at TD Garden for the Lamoriello Trophy. Boston College will be bidding for its 12th title, its first since 2012, in the first-ever championship game meeting between the Eagles and UMass Lowell.

Boston College (21-14-4) built its 3-0 lead over the first two-plus periods behind goals by Julius Mattila (Tampere, Finland) and the pair by Fitzgerald before the Terriers came roaring back late on the third. Woll, a freshman, made 20 of his saves in the final stanza to hold on for the win.

After a back-and-forth start to a scoreless first period where BU outshot BC, 12-9, Mattilla opened the scoring 1:58 into the second. Mattilla cruised through the neutral zone and snapped off a wrist shot from just inside the blue line that beat Terriers goalie Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) on the short side. Assists went to Jesper Mattila (Tampere, Finland) and Scott Savage (San Clemente, Calif.). Fitzgerald would make it 2-0 at 13:21 of period with his short-handed goal, the Eagles 10th of the season, assisted by Christopher Brown (Bloomfield, Hills, Mich.) and Savage.

Fitzgerald added his second goal 58 seconds into the third after the BC forecheck created a turnover behind the BU goal. Brown and Matthew Gaudreau (Carneys Point, N.J.) poked the puck free on the left side. It went to Fitzgerald who was wide open at the right post and he tapped it in for his 11th of the season.

Woll and the BC defense kept Boston University at bay until Jordan Greenway (Canton, N.Y.), in a scramble in the crease, poked one over the red line with 2:24 left with Clayton Keller (Swansea, Ill.) picking up an assist. Just under a minute later, Keller, named Hockey East Rookie of the Year Thursday, brought the Terriers within one with his 20th of the season. With the Oettinger on the bench for an extra attacker, Greenway sent the puck from the corner to Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (Stockholm, Sweden), whose initial drive from the point was stopped by Woll before Keller scored on the rebound. BC then held off BU over the final 1:22 for the win.

Oettinger made 32 saves for the Terriers who fall to 23-10-3 on the season. Boston University is in line for an at large bid to the 2017 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament with selections announced Sunday afternoon.

Postgame Notes

- Attendance for the two-game semifinal session was 10,979.

- This is the first pair of Hockey East Semifinal games without a power play goal in either contest since 2004 (Boston University vs. Maine; New Hampshire vs. Massachusetts).

- Saturday's result sealed Boston College's 17th appearance in the Hockey East Championship (most in league history) and first since 2012. The Eagles are 11-5 in their previous 16 quests for the league crown, including wins in their last five (2007, 2008, 2010-12).

- Boston College has won 11 Hockey East Championships, which also stands atop the league. Most recently, BC took down Maine, 4-1, in the 2012 title game.

- All-time, the Eagles are 68-30-2 in the Hockey East Tournament, including a 17-6 mark in the Semifinals and 4-9 record against Boston University. BC is also 2-3 in the Semifinals against its Commonwealth Avenue rival.

- This is BC's first tournament win over BU since the 2007 Semifinals (6-2).

- Since taking the reins of the Eagles, head coach Jerry York is 44-42-8 against BU. However, the Terriers maintain the upper hand in the all-time series between the sides (133-123-18). Against all conference foes, York is 58-18-1 in the league tournament.

- Against UMass Lowell, BC is 5-1-2 in the Hockey East Tournament. The clubs have not previously met in the title game.

- Goalie Joseph Woll (42) is the first netminder to make 40-plus saves in a Hockey East Tournament game since Notre Dame's Cal Peterson made 43 stops against Providence in the quarterfinals last Friday (March 10). The last freshman to accomplish the feat in the playoffs was Vermont's Packy Munson (43) in a 4-2 win at Boston College on March 12, 2016.

- This was the first semifinal game with a scoreless first period since New Hampshire and Providence ended the first 20 minutes at 0-0 in 2014.

- Freshman Julius Mattila's second period goal for Boston College included a secondary assist issued to classmate and brother Jesper Mattila. It was the first BC goal in which both Mattilas were credited a point.

- Senior Ryan Fitzgerald's shorthanded marker in the second period was the 10th this season by the Eagles (third of postseason) and fourth surrendered by Boston University (first of postseason). It was the second shorthanded goal in the Hockey East Tournament in five days; Colin O'Neill scored for UMass Lowell against New Hampshire on March 12. The last shorthanded goal in the Hockey East Semifinals was scored by UNH's Kevin Goumas against Providence on March 21, 2014.

- Three Eagles had multi-point games, including sophomore Christopher Brown (seventh of season, second of playoffs); Fitzgerald (first of season); and Scott Savage (fifth of season, second of playoffs). Fitzgerald's night was witness to his 10th career multi-goal effort and first since Feb. 26, 2016 vs. UMass Lowell.