BOSTON - The top-ranked Boston College men's hockey team and No. 8 Boston University met for the 296th time in the series' history on Friday evening at Agganis Arena. The Eagles overturned a 2-1 deficit with five unanswered goals, taking the win by a score of 6-2. Ryan Leonard scored a hat-trick while Will Vote, Teddy Stiga, and Brady Berard each lit the lamp as well. Jacob Fowler made 31 saves for the Eagles. Gabe Perreault recorded three assists.
BC improves to 17-4-1 overall and 10-3-1 in league play, while Boston University drops to 13-8-1 overall and 9-4-1 in Hockey East.
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead, scoring inside the first six minutes of the game. After BC went on the penalty kill, Vote forced a turnover in the neutral zone and capitalized on the ensuing opportunity. Vote took the puck down towards goal and went five-hole to put Boston College in front 1-0.
BU took the lead midway through the opening period with two power-play goals within 38 seconds of each other after BC was handed a five-minute major, putting the Eagles down a man.
Boston College responded with three goals in the second period to jump back in front, 4-2. The Eagles scored their first of the frame early in the period when Stiga managed to hit the puck out of the air and direct it past BU goaltender Mathieu Caron to tie the game.
Later in the period, Leonard skated his way through the BU defense before ripping a shot into the top left corner of the net to put BC back in the lead. Just minutes later, Berard followed up on a saved shot from Connor Joyce, slotting home the rebound to push the Eagles' lead to two.
Leonard completed the hat-trick with two empty-net goals, one short-handed, late in the third period to close out the game.
SCORING
1st 5:17 BC Will Vote - SH
1st 11:48 BU Quinn Hutson (Ryan Greene, Tom Willander) - PP
1st 12:26 BU Cole Eiserman - PP
2nd 5:30 BC Teddy Stiga (Gabe Perreault, Eamon Powell)
2nd 13:03 BC Ryan Leonard (Lukas Gustafsson, Perreault)
2nd 15:00 BC Brady Berard (Connor Joyce, Will Skahan)
3rd 16:56 BC Leonard (Aidan Hreschuk, Aram Minnetian) - SH
3rd 19:34.4 BC Leonard (Perreault)
GAME NOTES
- The Eagles scored two short-handed goals in the same game for the first time since March 9, 2024
- This is the fourth time BC has won this year when trailing after the first
- Ryan Leonard tallied his first hat-trick of the season and second of his career
- Gabe Perreault recorded a season-high three assists, bring his season total to 23
- Teddy Stiga extended his point streak to six games
- Will Vote scored his seventh goal of the season
- Connor Joyce picked up his first point of the year with an assist in the second period
- Will Skahan recorded his fourth assist of the campaign
UP NEXT
BC and BU meet again Saturday night at Kelley Rink. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+ as well as regionally on NESN.
