2024–25 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey season
| 2024–25 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Hockey East Regular Season, Champion NCAA Tournament, Regional Final | |
| Conference | 1st Hockey East |
| Home ice | Kelley Rink |
| Rankings | |
| USCHO.com | #4 |
| USA Hockey | #4 |
| Record | |
| Overall | 27–8–2 |
| Conference | 18–4–2 |
| Home | 14–3–0 |
| Road | 11–3–2 |
| Neutral | 2–2–0 |
| Coaches and captains | |
| Head coach | Greg Brown |
| Assistant coaches | Mike Ayers Brendan Buckley Brent Darnell |
| Captain(s) | Eamon Powell |
| Alternate captain(s) | Connor Joyce Ryan Leonard Mike Posma |
| Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey seasons « 2023–24 2025–26 » | |
The 2024–25 Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey season was the 103rd season of play for the program and the 41st in Hockey East. The Eagles represented Boston College in the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, played their home games at Kelley Rink and were coached by Greg Brown in his 3rd season.
Season
After coming on, so close to a national championship, Boston College entered as one of the favorites for the title this season. The Eagles lost their top two scorers to the NHL but they replaced them with a trio high-value forwards, including two drafted players and the prospective #1 prospect in James Hagens. The defense lost a bit of depth but they drafted in another draft pick alongside Hagens' elder brother to plug the hole in the lineup. In goal, the team was set with Jacob Fowler returning as starter.
BC looked every bit a title contender from the start of the season. After splitting their opening series against Michigan State, another championship hopeful, the Eagles dominated their opposition and won game after game, even while facing other ranked teams. The Eagles had only one subpar game during the first half of the season and entered the winter break with a stellar 12–3–1 record as well as the #1 spot in the PairWise rankings. The offense was being led by the top line of Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault and Andre Gasseau and, though they weren't leading the team to the otherworldly pace the Eagles had the previous year, BC was able to post solid offensive numbers. James Hagens boltered the team's second line but past them there was little depth scoring to be had. Injuries played no small par in this with the likes of Oskar Jellvik, Will Traeger and Timmy Delay missing significant chunks of the year.[1] Compounding the matter was the lack of production from Dean Letourneau; BC was hoping to get more than 3 assists out of 1st-round draft pick. However, it was later revealed that Letourneauhad played the first half of the season with a broken hand and was never able to fully recover.[2] Instead, the key to the team's record was the defense. The blueline had grown even more formidable with an extra year of experience while Fowler was a veritable wall in goal. The sophomore netminder consistently faced down some of the toughest teams in the nation and posted eye-popping numbers throughout the season. At year's end he received the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goaltender for his performance.
With many of the team top players participating in the World Junior Championships, coach Brown made a point not to schedule games in late December or Early January so he team would not be affected by the absence of players.[3] However, not playing in over a month did see the team flop upon their return with a loss to a down Merrimack squad. The team swiftly regained their focus and reeled off nine consecutive wins, five coming against top-10 teams, and jumped up to #1 in the polls. The winning streak came to an end in the Beanpot final against hated rival Boston University, which was an ill omen for the Eagles; none of the four participants had even won a national title without first winning the beanpot.[4]
Postseason
Boston College was just as impressive in the second half of the season as they were in the first and finished the regular season with only 6 losses and sat #1 in all polls and rankings. Not only were the Eagles guaranteed a spot in the national tournament but they were mathematically assured to receive the #1 overall ranking and be placed in the Manchester Regional opposite the lowest-ranked tournament entry. Perhaps their enviable position gave the team a false sense of superiority because the team did not look like world-beaters once they hit the ice in the playoffs. Boston College's offense was largely ineffective against Northeastern and went more than 57 minutes without a goal. Instead, the Huskies were able to beat Fowler twice on just 19 shots. James Hagens finally got the team on the board with about two and a half minutes to play after their goaltender had been pulled but the Eagles were unable to find the equalizer.[5] The shocking upset knocked BC out of the conference tournament and forced the team to sit and watch while the rest of the teams jockeyed for titles and tournament position.
Sure enough, once the NCAA field was set, BC was the #1 overall seed and they took a short journey north to face off against Bentley. Again, the team's offense struggled in the face of tight checking from their opponents and the Eagles were only able to find a single goal in the first 58 minutes of the game. The Falcons, though widely outmatched on paper, played a strong defensive game and relied heavily on a masterful performance by their goaltender to try an earn a seismic upset. While BC failed on all four of their power play chances, Bentley converted their to tie the game in the second and then waited patiently for their opportunity. It wasn't until the final few minutes of regulation that BC appeared to wake up and finally managed to get established in the offensive zone. After that it only took a few chances before James Hagens was able give BC their second lead with just 77 seconds left on the clock. Bentley pulled their goaltender in the faint hope of being able to tie the match once more but Leonard scored into the vacated goal for his 30th of the year and allowed the Eagles to escape.[6]
Two days later, the Eagles met Denver in a rematch of the '24 national championship. While Boston College was hoping for revenge, they were once again stymied by the Pioneer netminder. BC fired 36 shots on goal but only a single marker from Teddy Stiga was able to slip into the goal. Fowler was far less busy in the match but Denver was able to make the most of their opportunities and score twice in the first half of the game. Come the third period, BC threw everything they had at the Denver cage but nothing got through. The Pioneers pulled back into a defensive shell, only managing a single shot on Fowler in the entire period. Even once Fowler was on the bench for an extra attacker, the Eagles could not break through. As time ticked away, Boston College became increasingly desperate and Denver was able to capitalize on a bad zone entry and fire the puck into the BC goal from their own end. The final goal came with just 4 seconds remaining and sealed the Eagles' fate.[7]
Departures
| Player | Position | Nationality | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colby Ambrosio | Forward | .svg.png){kind=small} Canada |
Graduate transfer to Miami |
| Jamie Armstrong | Forward | .png){kind=small} United States |
Graduation (signed with Charlotte Checkers) |
| Jacob Bengtsson | Defenseman |  Sweden |
Graduation (signed with Toronto Marlies) |
| Cutter Gauthier | Forward | United States |
Signed professional contract (Anaheim Ducks) |
| Charlie Leddy | Defenseman | United States |
Transferred to Quinnipiac |
| Jack Malone | Forward | United States |
Graduation (signed with Utica Comets) |
| Will Smith | Forward | United States |
Signed professional contract (San Jose Sharks) |
Recruiting
| Player | Position | Nationality | Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brady Berard | Forward | United States |
20 | East Greenwich, RI; transfer from Providence |
| James Hagens | Forward | United States |
17 | Hauppauge, NY |
| Michael Hagens | Defenseman | United States |
19 | Hauppauge, NY |
| Dean Letourneau | Forward | Canada |
18 | Braeside, ON; selected 25th overall in 2024 |
| Jake Sondreal | Forward | United States |
20 | Woodbury, MN |
| Will Skahan | Defenseman | United States |
18 | Orange, CA; selected 65th overall in 2024 |
| Teddy Stiga | Forward | United States |
18 | Sudbury, MA; selected 55th overall in 2024 |
Roster
As of September 7, 2024.[8]
| No. | Nat. | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Jacob Fowler | Sophomore | G | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 214 lb (97 kg) | 2004-11-24 | Melbourne, Florida | Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) | MTL, 69th overall 2023 |
| 2 |
|
Eamon Powell (C) | Graduate | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 173 lb (78 kg) | 2002-05-10 | Marcellus, New York | USNTDP (USHL) | TBL, 116th overall 2020 |
| 3 |
|
Nolan Joyce | Sophomore | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 192 lb (87 kg) | 2003-09-25 | Dedham, Massachusetts | Chicago Steel (USHL) | — |
| 4 |
|
Teddy Stiga | Freshman | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 179 lb (81 kg) | 2006-04-05 | Sudbury, Massachusetts | USNTDP (USHL) | NSH, 55th overall 2024 |
| 5 |
|
Drew Fortescue | Sophomore | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2005-04-28 | Pearl River, New York | USNTDP (USHL) | NYR, 90th overall 2023 |
| 7 |
|
Aidan Hreschuk | Senior | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 178 lb (81 kg) | 2003-02-19 | Long Beach, California | USNTDP (USHL) | CBJ, 94th overall 2021 |
| 8 |
|
Lukas Gustafsson | Junior | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2002-12-16 | Atlanta, Georgia | Chicago Steel (USHL) | — |
| 9 |
|
Ryan Leonard (A) | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 192 lb (87 kg) | 2005-01-21 | Amherst, Massachusetts | USNTDP (USHL) | WSH, 8th overall 2023 |
| 10 |
|
James Hagens | Freshman | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 172 lb (78 kg) | 2006-11-03 | Hauppauge, New York | USNTDP (USHL) | — |
| 11 |
|
Michael Hagens | Freshman | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2002-08-07 | Hauppauge, New York | Chicago Steel (USHL) | — |
| 12 |
|
Mike Posma (A) | Senior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 183 lb (83 kg) | 2001-12-04 | Pomona, New York | Omaha Lancers (USHL) | — |
| 14 |
|
Gentry Shamburger | Graduate | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 196 lb (89 kg) | 2000-09-29 | Atlanta, Georgia | Avon Old Farms (USHS–CT) | — |
| 15 |
|
Oskar Jellvik | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2003-02-08 | Täby, Sweden | Djurgårdens J20 (J20 Nationell) | BOS, 149th overall 2021 |
| 17 |
|
Aram Minnetian | Sophomore | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2005-03-19 | Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey | USNTDP (USHL) | DAL, 125th overall 2023 |
| 18 |
|
Paul Davey | Junior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 2003-01-11 | Greenwich, Connecticut | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) | — |
| 19 |
|
Brady Berard | Junior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 198 lb (90 kg) | 2004-02-26 | East Greenwich, Rhode Island | Providence (HEA) | — |
| 20 |
|
Dean Letourneau | Freshman | F | 6' 7" (2.01 m) | 214 lb (97 kg) | 2006-02-21 | Braeside, Ontario | St. Andrew's College (Midget AAA) | BOS, 25th overall 2024 |
| 22 |
|
Will Vote | Sophomore | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 161 lb (73 kg) | 2005-02-22 | Arlington, Massachusetts | USNTDP (USHL) | — |
| 23 |
|
Will Traeger | Junior | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 172 lb (78 kg) | 2002-04-10 | Mendota Heights, Minnesota | New Jersey Hitmen (NCDC) | — |
| 24 |
|
Andre Gasseau | Junior | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2003-07-03 | Garden Grove, California | Fargo Force (USHL) | BOS, 213th overall 2021 |
| 25 |
|
Jake Sondreal | Freshman | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 163 lb (74 kg) | 2004-02-19 | Woodbury, Minnesota | Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) | — |
| 26 |
|
Will Skahan | Freshman | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 216 lb (98 kg) | 2006-05-14 | Orange, California | USNTDP (USHL) | UTA, 65th overall 2024 |
| 27 |
|
Connor Joyce (A) | Senior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 168 lb (76 kg) | 2001-07-06 | Dedham, Massachusetts | Connecticut Jr. Rangers (NCDC) | — |
| 28 |
|
Timmy Delay | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2003-06-16 | Hingham, Massachusetts | Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) | — |
| 30 | 
|
Jan Korec | Sophomore | G | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2004-09-28 | Bratislava, Slovakia | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) | — |
| 31 |
|
Alex Musielak | Sophomore | G | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 183 lb (83 kg) | 2003-07-23 | Buffalo, New York | Kemptville 73's (CCHL) | — |
| 34 |
|
Gabe Perreault | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2005-05-07 | Sherbrooke, Quebec | USNTDP (USHL) | NYR, 23rd overall 2023 |
Standings
| Conference record | Overall record | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| #4 † | 24 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 55 | 82 | 40 | 37 | 27 | 8 | 2 | 125 | 65 | |
| #8 Maine * | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 67 | 45 | 38 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 124 | 75 | |
| #2 Boston University | 24 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 46 | 89 | 65 | 40 | 24 | 14 | 2 | 150 | 119 | |
| #7 Connecticut | 24 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 76 | 65 | 39 | 23 | 12 | 4 | 130 | 97 | |
| #13 Providence | 24 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 65 | 67 | 37 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 103 | 96 | |
| #10 Massachusetts | 24 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 69 | 58 | 40 | 21 | 14 | 5 | 133 | 97 | |
| Massachusetts Lowell | 24 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 57 | 69 | 36 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 93 | 101 | |
| Merrimack | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 57 | 81 | 35 | 13 | 21 | 1 | 81 | 112 | |
| Northeastern | 24 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 48 | 71 | 37 | 14 | 20 | 3 | 88 | 112 | |
| New Hampshire | 24 | 5 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 53 | 73 | 35 | 13 | 16 | 6 | 96 | 100 | |
| Vermont | 24 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 59 | 88 | 35 | 11 | 21 | 3 | 100 | 116 | |
| Championship: March 21, 2025 † indicates regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion (Lamoriello Trophy) Rankings: USCHO Division I Men's Poll | |||||||||||||||||
Schedule and results
| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | TV | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | |||||||||||
| October 11 | 6:00 pm | at #4 Michigan State* | #2 | Munn Ice Arena • East Lansing, Michigan | BTN | Fowler | W 3–0 | 6,555 | 1–0–0 | ||
| October 12 | 6:00 pm | at #4 Michigan State* | #2 | Munn Ice Arena • East Lansing, Michigan | Fowler | L 3–4 | 6,555 | 1–1–0 | |||
| October 18 | 7:00 pm | American International* | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 5–0 | 7,224 | 2–1–0 | ||
| October 19 | 7:00 pm | USNTDP* | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (Exhibition) | ESPN+ | W 8–4 | |||||
| October 26 | 7:00 pm | #14 Western Michigan* | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 4–2 | 7,884 | 3–1–0 | ||
| November 1 | 8:30 pm | at #10 St. Cloud State* | #2 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, Minnesota | Fox 9 | Fowler | W 4–1 | 3,462 | 4–1–0 | ||
| November 2 | 7:00 pm | at #10 St. Cloud State* | #2 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, Minnesota | Fox 9 | Fowler | W 2–1 | — | 5–1–0 | ||
| November 8 | 7:00 pm | #5 Maine | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+, NESN | Fowler | W 3–2 | 7,884 | 6–1–0 (1–0–0) | ||
| November 10 | 1:00 pm | #5 Maine | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 3–0 | 7,195 | 7–1–0 (2–0–0) | ||
| November 15 | 7:00 pm | at Connecticut | #2 | Toscano Family Ice Forum • Storrs, Connecticut | ESPN+ | Korec | L 4–5 | 2,691 | 7–2–0 (2–1–0) | ||
| November 19 | 7:00 pm | at #10 Providence | #3 | Schneider Arena • Providence, Rhode Island | ESPN+ | Korec | W 3–2 OT | 3,015 | 8–2–0 (3–1–0) | ||
| November 22 | 7:00 pm | Northeastern | #3 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 3–0 | 7,884 | 9–2–0 (4–1–0) | ||
| November 23 | 7:00 pm | at Northeastern | #3 | Matthews Arena • Boston, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | L 2–4 | 4,739 | 9–3–0 (4–2–0) | ||
| November 29 | 7:00 pm | #15 Dartmouth* | #4 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 5–3 | 7,395 | 10–3–0 | ||
| December 4 | 7:00 pm | Connecticut | #3 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 2–1 OT | 4,863 | 11–3–0 (5–2–0) | ||
| December 6 | 7:15 pm | at #14 Massachusetts Lowell | #3 | Tsongas Center • Lowell, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | T 3–3 SOL | 6,002 | 11–3–1 (5–2–1) | ||
| December 9 | 7:00 pm | #10т Massachusetts Lowell | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+, NESN | Fowler | W 3–2 | 5,195 | 12–3–1 (6–2–1) | ||
| January 10 | 7:00 pm | Merrimack | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | L 2–5 | 6,073 | 12–4–1 (6–3–1) | ||
| January 11 | 7:00 pm | at Merrimack | #2 | J. Thom Lawler Rink • North Andover, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 1–4 | 2,764 | 13–4–1 (7–3–1) | ||
| January 14 | 7:00 pm | Harvard* | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 3–1 | 7,186 | 14–4–1 | ||
| January 17 | 7:00 pm | #6 Providence | #2 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 3–0 | 7,884 | 15–4–1 (8–3–1) | ||
| January 18 | 7:00 pm | at #6 Providence | #2 | Schneider Arena • Providence, Rhode Island | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 4–1 | 3,030 | 16–4–1 (9–3–1) | ||
| January 24 | 7:00 pm | at #8 Boston University | #1 | Agganis Arena • Boston, Massachusetts (Rivalry) | ESPN+, NESN | Fowler | W 6–2 | 6,150 | 17–4–1 (10–3–1) | ||
| January 25 | 7:00 pm | #8 Boston University | #1 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (Rivalry) | ESPN+, NESN | Fowler | W 2–0 | 7,884 | 18–4–1 (11–3–1) | ||
| January 31 | 7:00 pm | #8 Massachusetts Lowell | #1 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Korec | W 4–0 | 7,884 | 19–4–1 (12–3–1) | ||
| Beanpot | |||||||||||
| February 3 | 8:00 pm | vs. Northeastern* | #1 | TD Garden • Boston, Massachusetts (Beanpot Semifinal) | NESN | Fowler | W 8–2 | — | 20–4–1 | ||
| February 7 | 7:00 pm | at New Hampshire | #1 | Whittemore Center • Durham, New Hampshire | ESPN+, NESN | Fowler | W 4–2 | 6,501 | 21–4–1 (13–3–1) | ||
| February 10 | 7:30 pm | vs. #9 Boston University* | #1 | TD Garden • Boston, Massachusetts (Beanpot Championship, Rivalry) | NESN | Fowler | L 1–4 | 18,258 | 21–5–1 | ||
| February 14 | 7:00 pm | #16 Massachusetts | #1 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | L 2–3 | 6,608 | 21–6–1 (13–4–1) | ||
| February 15 | 6:00 pm | at #16 Massachusetts | #1 | Mullins Center • Amherst, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 4–1 | 7,606 | 22–6–1 (14–4–1) | ||
| February 21 | 7:00 pm | at Vermont | #2 | Gutterson Fieldhouse • Burlington, Vermont | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 6–3 | 3,687 | 23–6–1 (15–4–1) | ||
| February 22 | 7:30 pm | at Vermont | #2 | Gutterson Fieldhouse • Burlington, Vermont | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 4–1 | 3,566 | 24–6–1 (16–4–1) | ||
| February 28 | 7:00 pm | New Hampshire | #1 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+, NESN | Fowler | W 4–1 | 7,007 | 25–6–1 (17–4–1) | ||
| March 1 | 7:00 pm | at New Hampshire | #1 | Whittemore Center • Durham, New Hampshire | ESPN+ | Fowler | T 1–1 SOW | 6,501 | 25–6–2 (17–4–2) | ||
| March 8 | 1:00 pm | Merrimack | #1 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | ESPN+ | Fowler | W 6–0 | 7,063 | 26–6–2 (18–4–2) | ||
| Hockey East Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 15 | 7:30 pm | Northeastern* | #1 | Conte Forum • Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (Hockey East Quarterfinal) | ESPN+, NESN+ | Fowler | L 1–3 | 6,034 | 26–7–2 | ||
| NCAA Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 28 | 2:00 pm | vs. #20 Bentley* | #2 | SNHU Arena • Manchester, New Hampshire (Regional Semifinal) | ESPNU | Fowler | W 3–1 | 7,368 | 27–7–2 | ||
| March 30 | 7:00 pm | vs. #6 Denver* | #2 | SNHU Arena • Manchester, New Hampshire (Regional Final) | ESPN2 | Fowler | L 1–3 | 6,802 | 27–8–2 | ||
| *Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Eastern Time. Source:[9] | |||||||||||
NCAA tournament
Regional semifinal
| March 28, 2025 2:00 pm | (1) Boston College | 3–1 (1–0, 0–1, 2–0) | (4) Bentley | SNHU Arena Attendance: 7,368 |
| Game reference | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Fowler | Goalies | Connor Hasley | Referees: Sterling Egan Bruce Vida Jr. Linesmen: Patrick Giles Nick Huff | |||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| 6 min | Penalties | 10 min | ||||||||||||
| 44 | Shots | 21 | ||||||||||||
| Game summary |
| The game started with BC being able to get the puck in deep while the Falcons could barely get over the blueline. While neither team was able to establish any real zone time, the Eagles were able to get several shots on Connor Hasley in the first few minutes. On one such exchange around the 4-minute mark, Hasley was unable to freeze the puck but got a lucky break when the ref lost sight of the puck and blew the whistle erroneously. Around the same time, Ryan Leonard ran into Hasley after being knocked down and the two forced the net off its moorings. On a later play, Hasley was able to push the net out of place with his leg, continuing an issue that the ice crew had been dealing with since before the start of the match. The game was paused for several minutes to give the maintenance team time to try and reset the pegs. On the ensuing play, Bentley appeared to commit two separate infractions, at least according to the BC faithful, but the referees disagreed. With the Eagles unable to buy a questionable call, Boston College started trying to push Bentley around after the whistle to see if they could goad one of the Falcons into making a mistake. While BC attempted to plant that seed, they persisted with the offensive pressure. The Eagles were able to tilt the ice towards the Falcons' end and set up in the offensive zone and besieged Hasley for several minutes in the middle of the period. A further potential Bentley penalty went uncalled by the referees who appeared to have decided to just let the two teams play. In spite of the lack of power plays, BC led in shots 10–0 halfway through the period. Bentley got a break when BC committed an icing call, giving the Falcons their first offensive zone draw of the game with 9 minutes to play. BC won the faceoff but then immediately iced the puck a second time. The second draw was a little closer but BC still managed to clear the zone. Moments later, the first penalty of the game was on Aidan Hreschuk for crosschecking. Many in the crowd were in disbelief with the borderline call after the earlier plays that had been let go. BC went on the attack during the disadvantage and was able to get a disjointed break on the Benley goal. After the Falcons regain possession they were able to set up their power play and get their first two shots of the match. While he had not seen any action to that point, Jacob Fowler was equal to the task. Once even strength play resumed, BC tried to get right back to their dominant play. Bentley, however, was able to built off their failed power play and finally break through the Boston College defense. Play evened out in the later part of the period but a bad turnover at the far blueline led to a rush up the ice by BC. Leonard found Gabe Perreault open down low and the winger moved around Hasley and slipped the puck into the net. Undaunted, Bentley went on the attack to try and get the goal back but they were unable to get a good shot on goal. With about a minute to play, the BC goal had trouble staying in position so the game was paused for a second time to fix the problem. When play resumed for a second time, BC's upped their offensive pressure. Hasley was forced to scramble but managed to keep the puck out until the horn sounded.
The second began with the two teams exchanging chances off the rush and, after a minute, the net behind Hasley was knocked from its mooring. On the ensuing play, BC was able to halt a Bentley rush but Lukas Gustafsson took a tripping minor in doing so. The Falcons had trouble setting up in the offensive zone but when they were finally able to do so, Ethan Leyh got two solid shots on goal, the second of which beat Fowler. After the ensuing faceoff, BC was able to finally draw it first power play with Jake Black grabbed James Hagens twice. The BC man-advantage was able to get several good looks at the goal but Bentley was able to block several shots while the rest either went wide or were stopped by Hasley. After Bentley iced the puck, the Falcon net was knocked out of place for the third time and the game paused once again to try and resolve the issue. After what was essentially an extra TV timeout, Bentley was able to clear the puck and relieve the pressure. Boston College remained in control for long stretches with occasional counters by Bentley. Near the middle of the period, Hasley bobbled a glove save but with no Eagle nearby the goaltender was able to smother the puck for a faceoff. By the midway point of the game it was apparent that Boston College was the better of the two and Bentley was only in the match thanks to a herculean defensive effort. Even, so, the game was tied and Nik Armstrong-Kingkade nearly gave the Falcons the lead when he hit the post on a solo rush. Just seconds later, the Falcons made a bad line change and were called for too many men. Boston College's second power play appeared to work to perfection and Perreault had a half-open cage but the puck was on edge and his shot went high and wide. Afterwards, the teams took matching minors that didn't change the makeup of the game but did take two of the top players off of the ice. When play resumed, the net behind Hasley was knocked off for the fourth time on the night and the problem was becoming as much of a story in the game as the players. The stoppage helped to kill off the rest of the BC power play as well as slow down the pace of play. The two teams carried the puck up and down the ice but neither was able to generate a good scoring chance for several minutes. With under 3 minutes to play, Bentley got on the attack but hit the post with another shot. The waning moments saw both team trying and failing to break through the defenses and the period ended with the two squads knotted at one. Early in the third, Bentley was able to turn over the puck in the BC end and get themselves a couple of good looks at the net but strong play from the Eagle defense prevent either either opportunity from reaching Fowler. Boston College countered and got a hard shot on goal that Hasley was unable to cover but the Falcons were first on the puck and able to clear it from danger. Further strong play from both the BC and Bentley defenses kept the puck out of the respective goals and both teams seemed dead set on doing everything they could to keep the other from scoring. Despite the emphasis in their own ends, the two teams were able to generate several scoring opportunities but neither could follow up after the initial shot. BC continued to press in spite of their failed attempts and eventually drew another power play when Armstrong-Kingkade was called for kneeing in the seventh minute. Bentley was able to kill off the first half of the man-advantage with relative ease but just as the power play was winging down, Arlo Merritt took a tripping penalty to extend BC's advantage. Perreault hit the outside of the post off of the ensuing faceoff and then Bentley was able to just disrupt the Eagles structure enough to force a turnover, then an offsides and finally an icing. The Falcons seemed to take heart at the mistakes made by Boston College and the defense remained locked in, continually blocking shots and passes to kill off the entire stretch of BC power play. Afterwards, Bentley began to play defense almost as if they had the lead but the result was that BC had great difficulty getting through on the rush. Even so, a bad turnover in the Falcons end gave James Hagens a glorious look at the goal but he delayed too long and by the time he shot the puck one of the Falcons was able to get his stick in the way and deflect the puck out of play. Boston College kept trying to set up passing plays and Bentley continued to get sticks and bodies in the way. With about 5 minutes to go, Bentley was able to get some pressure on Fowler but the BC netminder matched his counterpart by stopping the multi-shot attempt. With snow building up around the ice, BC committed consecutive icings near the end of the period but were able to clear the puck after each faceoff. With under two minutes to play, BC was finally able to follow up a rush and, after forcing a turnover, James Hagens was able to grab a loose puck behind the net and wrap it around for the go ahead goal. Bentley called a timeout to get themselves set for the final 77 seconds. BC got possession of the puck and forced Bentley to play in their end for several seconds. After the Falcons second attempt at zone entry, Hasley was pulled and, a moment later, Ryan Leonard netted an empty-net goal to salt away the game. |
Regional final
| March 30, 2025 7:00 pm | (1) Boston College | 1–3 (0–1, 1–1, 0–1) | (3) Denver | SNHU Arena Attendance: 6,802 |
| Game reference | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Fowler | Goalies | Matt Davis | Referees: Colin Kronforst Jake Rekucki Linesmen: Jake Davis Sam Shikowski | |||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| 4 min | Penalties | 2 min | ||||||||||||
| 36 | Shots | 25 | ||||||||||||
| Game summary |
Scoring statistics
| Name | Position | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Leonard | C | 37 | 30 | 19 | 49 | 46 |
| Gabe Perreault | RW | 37 | 16 | 32 | 48 | 25 |
| James Hagens | C/LW | 37 | 11 | 26 | 37 | 24 |
| Andre Gasseau | C/LW | 36 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 49 |
| Teddy Stiga | LW | 36 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 34 |
| Eamon Powell | D | 32 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 12 |
| Lukas Gustafsson | D | 35 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 14 |
| Aram Minnetian | D | 35 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
| Will Vote | RW | 37 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 12 |
| Oskar Jellvik | C/LW | 23 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 12 |
| Drew Fortescue | D | 36 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 42 |
| Mike Posma | C/LW | 37 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 16 |
| Aidan Hreschuk | D | 33 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 21 |
| Michael Hagens | D | 37 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 5 |
| Will Skahan | D | 30 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| Jake Sondreal | C | 36 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 36 |
| Brady Berard | C | 35 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| Connor Joyce | C | 35 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Dean Letourneau | C//RW | 36 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Jacob Fowler | G | 35 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 17 |
| Gentry Shamburger | F | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Timmy Delay | RW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan Korec | G | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Traeger | C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nolan Joyce | D | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 125 | 211 | 336 | 429 |
Goaltending statistics
| Name | Games | Minutes | Wins | Losses | Ties | Goals Against | Saves | Shut Outs | SV % | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan Korec | 3 | 156:41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 62 | 1 | .954 | 1.15 |
| Jacob Fowler | 35 | 2062:45 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 56 | 875 | 7 | .940 | 1.63 |
| Empty Net | - | 16:19 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 37 | 2235:45 | 27 | 8 | 2 | 65 | 937 | 8 | .930 | 1.74 |
Rankings
| Poll | Week | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 (Final) | |
| USCHO.com | 2 (6) | 2 (6) | 2 (2) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 (2) | 3 | 4 (2) | 3 (2) | 2 (6) | 2 (15) | – | 2 (8) | 2 (6) | 2 | 1 (36) | 1 (42) | 1 (48) | 1 (50) | 2 (11) | 1 (43) | 1 (42) | 1 (48) | 2 (12) | 2 (13) | – | 4 |
| USA Hockey | 2 (4) | 2 (6) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 (1) | 3 | 3 (1) | 2 (11) | – | 2 (6) | 2 (7) | 2 | 1 (24) | 1 (27) | 1 (33) | 1 (34) | 2 (13) | 1 (33) | 1 (34) | 1 (34) | 2 (10) | 2 (13) | 4 | 4 |
Note: USCHO did not release a poll in week 12 or 26.[11]
Note: USA Hockey did not release a poll in week 12.
Awards and honors
| Player | Award | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Jacob Fowler | Mike Richter Award | [12] |
| Jacob Fowler | AHCA All-American East First Team | [13] |
| Ryan Leonard | ||
| Eamon Powell | AHCA All-American East Second Team | [13] |
| Gabe Perreault | ||
| Ryan Leonard | Hockey East Player of the Year | [14] |
| Eamon Powell | Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman | [14] |
| Jacob Fowler | Hockey East Goaltending Champion | [14] |
| Ryan Leonard | Hockey East Three-Stars Award | [14] |
| Ryan Leonard | Hockey East Scoring Champion | [14] |
| Jacob Fowler | All-Hockey East First Team | [15] |
| Eamon Powell | ||
| Ryan Leonard | ||
| Gabe Perreault | ||
| James Hagens | Hockey East All-Rookie Team | [16] |
| Teddy Stiga |
2025 NHL Entry Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | James Hagens | Boston Bruins |
| 2 | 51 | William Moore † | Boston Bruins |
| 2 | 63 | Ben Kevan † | New Jersey Devils |
| 3 | 65 | Kieren Dervin † | Vancouver Canucks |
| 4 | 101 | Drew Schock † | Anaheim Ducks |
† incoming freshman [17]
References
- ^ "The Injuries Pile Up but Andre Gasseau Come Through: Boston College Men's Hockey Weekend Thoughts". BC Interruption. March 4, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "Big Bad Bruins". Instagram. June 30, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "Six Eagles Win Gold Medals at World Junior Championship". Boston College Eagles. January 5, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "The Beanpot's Identical Twin". College Hockey News. February 7, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "2025 Hockey East Quarterfinal Highlights - #9 Northeastern 3 vs. #1 Boston College 1". YouTube. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "Boston College vs Bentley - NCAA College Hockey - Highlights - March 28, 2025". YouTube. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "Denver vs Boston College - NCAA College Hockey - Highlights - March 30, 2025". YouTube. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "2023-24 Men's Hockey Roster". Boston College Eagles. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
- ^ "2024–25 Men's Hockey Schedule". Boston College Eagles. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "Boston College 2024-2025 Skater Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ "USCHO Division I Men's Poll". USCHO.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ "Jacob Fowler Wins Mike Richter Award". Boston College Eagles. April 11, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ a b "Men's CCM/AHCA Hockey Division I All-Americans Announced". ACHA. April 11, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Ryan Leonard Named Hockey East Player of the Year". hockeyeastonline.com. March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ "Hockey East Names 2024-25 Men's All-Star Teams". hockeyeastonline.com. March 14, 2025. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
- ^ "Harvard Duo, Four Other First-Year Standouts Comprise Men's All-Rookie Team". ecachockey.com. March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "NCAA player rankings, selections in 2025 NHL Draft". USCHO.com. Retrieved June 29, 2025.