BELFAST, Northern Ireland - Thanks to a furious third-period rally that included game-tying and game-winning goals coming moments apart, the No. 13 Boston University men's ice hockey team claimed the Friendship Four title with a 4-3 victory over Notre Dame on Saturday at SSE Arena.
BU scored the final three goals of the contest to claim the Belpot Trophy and secure its first regular-season tournament title since the 2022 Beanpot.
Trailing 3-1 after two periods, the Terriers got within one with 13 minutes left in regulation on sophomore Gavin McCarthy's second goal of the tournament.
Junior Ryan Greene tied the contest on a goalmouth redirect from fellow co-captain Shane Lachance with 4:42 to play and Lachance provided the winner just 20 seconds later when he curled around the net to the right post and knocked home a loose puck.
Junior Quinn Hutson assisted on the final two goals of the contest and senior Matt Copponi picked up helpers on BU's first two tallies. Lachance, who had a three-point night, was named the player of the game and also earned the Friendship Four Player of the Tournament award.
BU dominated play in the early stages and opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal from freshman Kamil Bednarik just under eight minutes into the contest.
The Fighting Irish responded soon after with goals 15 seconds apart to take the lead and added another in the second period for a two-goal cushion.
Senior Mathieu Caron turned in a 28-save effort in goal for the Terriers, stopping the final 20 shots he faced.
BU improves to 8-5-1 on the season while Notre Dame falls to 6-10-0.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Terriers came out of the gates in charge and recorded the game's first seven shots on goal.
- Notre Dame earned the game's first power play but the Terriers' penalty kill came up with its second shorthanded goal in as many games.
- Bednarik picked a great time to score his first goal as a Terrier as the freshman raced up the left side of the ice and split two Irish defenders before getting around UND netminder Owen Say and burying a backhand 7:32 into the affair.
- The Irish turned the tide in the blink of an eye as Hunter Strand got ahead of the Terrier defense off a rush and buried a breakaway at the 12:24 mark.
- Moments later, Justin Janicke knocked an elevated cross-slot pass from Danny Nelson past Caron in mid-air for a 2-1 lead.
- BU had the lone power-play chance of the middle period but was unable to threaten and the Irish doubled their lead soon after their successful kill.
- Blake Biondi took advantage of BU defender falling down in the right circle and snuck a shot inside the far post for the lone goal of the second and a 3-1 Irish advantage.
- The Terriers were able to kill off a Notre Dame power play that started in the final minute of the second but once again came up when given a man-up opportunity early in the third.
- McCarthy started the rally when he snapped a shot past Say from the high slot after passing back and forth with Capponi through the right circle at the 7-minute mark of the third.
- Both teams came up empty on power-play chances in the middle of period, setting the stages for the late BU heroics.
- Hutson and Lachance broke up a Notre Dame pass behind its net and the latter spotted Greene streaking down the slot for an impressive redirect to create a 3-3 deadlock at 15:18 of the third.
- With the crowd still buzzing, Lachance battled to win faceoff on the left side and despite losing control of the puck while curling around the net, he watched it go off the skate of Hutson and then a skate of an Irish defender before pouncing on it and sending it home for what would be a thrilling game-winner.
- Say was pulled in favor of an extra skater for most of the final minute-and-a-half of regulation but the Terriers got the late clears they needed to seal the victory and the tournament title.
GAME NOTES
- This was BU's second appearance in the Friendship Four as it fell to Union in the 2018 championship game.
- In addition to his decisive goal and two assists that matched his career high in points, Lachance had a plus-3 rating for the game.
- He now leads BU with 17 points on seven goals and 10 assists.
- Copponi has notched a point in three straight games and in five of his last six contests.
- Hutson has also recorded a point in five of his last six appearances.
- Greene is on a three-game point streak.
- Notre Dame finished with a 31-30 edge in shots on goal.
- Say made 26 saves in goal for the Irish.
- Notre Dame was 0-for-4 on the power play while the Terriers were 0-for-3.
- Caron is now 7-4-1 on the season.
UP NEXT
- BU will close out the first half of its season with a home-and-home series against Massachusetts beginning next Saturday (Dec. 7) at Agganis Arena.
- Game time is set for 6 p.m.
