Michigan's hockey season ends with 4-0 loss to Boston College in Frozen Four

Michigan’s season ended in the Frozen Four on Thursday night in Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the Wolverines were blanked by No. 1 overall seed Boston College, 4-0.

It’s the first time Michigan (23-15-3) has been shut out in a Frozen Four game in program history, coming during the Wolverines’ NCAA-leading 28th appearance.

It was a sluggish start for the Wolverines in the first frame, as the Eagles (34-5-1) quickly pulled out a 1-0 lead that would hold until the first intermission.

Boston College broke out of the defensive zone and sprung a 2-on-1 opportunity with Michigan defenseman Jacob Truscott as the lone defender. He couldn’t stop the cross-ice feed from Ryan Leonard to Will Smith, who buried a one-timer into the upper right-hand corner over goalie Jake Barczewski. 

Michigan tightened up on defense after the early miscue, holding serve and going to the first intermission trailing by a goal. It was in the second period that the Eagles broke the game open, and for good.

While the Wolverines were generating a share of scoring chances and shots on goal, the ones that materialized for Boston College were that much better. When the Eagles had prime scoring chances, they rarely missed. 

After a bit of puck luck sent a puck Smith flung into the Michigan crease from behind the net off a pair of skates and into the back of the net, the Eagles had a breakaway scoring chance seconds later. It was Cutter Gauthier adding to his nation-leading 38th goal, and putting Michigan in a 3-0 hole it wouldn’t climb out of with just more than 25 minutes to play. 

Though it took more than 20 minutes until the Eagles scored again — and scored in rapid succession — they could’ve rested on the 1-0 lead they held one minutes and 20 seconds into the game. 

In a game that featured two of the top three offenses in the country in terms of goals-per-game average — the Eagles average 4.59 goals a game and the Wolverines average 4.22 — it was the Wolverines' offense falling silent.

It wasn’t for a lack of chances or control of the puck. Michigan won more faceoffs, took more shots and had four power plays, all of which Boston College killed. In net for the Eagles, Cam Fowler played like an impenetrable wall. 

In contrast, as the Eagles seized control of the game, Barczewski made a final mistake to cap the night to forget. With Boston College’s Gabe Perreault driving down the left wing, Barczewski pushed off to his right post but went too far. 

With his right blocker wrapped around the back of his net outside the post, Perreault swung around the back of the net and tucked in the fourth and final goal of the night. 

It was not that Michigan hadn’t had chances to score and make the game competitive. But when the Wolverines' shots were going wide, getting blocked by defenders or saved by Fowler, the Eagles didn’t falter when they had chances to put the Wolverines away.

And for that, the Eagles will advance to play Denver for the national championship. 

Andrew Graham is a freelance writer.

Will Smith had two goals, Cutter Gauthier scored his nation-leading 38th of the season and No. 1 overall seed Boston College beat Michigan 4-0 on Thursday night in the Eagles' first Frozen Four appearance since 2016.

Boston College (34-5-1) will look to avenge an October loss to Denver when the two teams square off on Saturday for the national championship. The Eagles, in their 26th Frozen Four, are seeking their sixth title in program history – and first since 2012.

Michigan (23-15-2) was playing in the Frozen Four for a third consecutive season, and 28th overall.

Smith opened the scoring 80 seconds into the game by capitalizing on a 2-on-1. Smith doubled the lead in the second when he curled around the net and sent a shot off two skate blades into the goal. Smith leads the nation with 71 points this season.

Gauthier, the nation's scoring leader, scored 49 seconds later on a breakaway when he sent a shot under the pads of Jake Barczewski.

Gauthier is tied with Ryan Potulny (Minnesota, 2006) for the most Division I goals in a season since 2000. Mike Donnelly holds the overall record with 59, set in 1986.

Freshman Jacob Fowler secured his third shutout of the season by making 32 saves.