ST. PAUL, Minn. — Boston College needed its difference-makers to be in the right place at the right time in the first period on Thursday night.
Although the top-seeded Eagles led 1-0 after the first period, it took some big saves from goaltender Jacob Fowler and an early goal from their vaunted freshman line to fend off a feisty Michigan squad in their Frozen Four semifinal game at Xcel Energy Center.
The Eagles got an early highlight-reel goal from freshman Will Smith after his teammate Gabe Perreault picked up a loose puck deep in his own zone and hit Ryan Lenoard with a cross-ice stretch pass deep behind the Michigan defense. Smith also snuck in behind the Michigan defenders and easily beat Michigan goaltender Jake Barczewski to finish off the bang-bang-bang play just 1 minute, 20 seconds into the game.
But in general, Michigan seemed to control the pace of the game and had a few more grade A scoring chances. The Wolverines outshot the Eagles 9-6 in the first 20 minutes, with Fowler flashing some nice leather a few times to keep it scoreless.
Boston College got a chance to extend its lead when Michigan’s Mark Estapa was called for a boarding penalty midway through the first. That opportunity was short-lived, however, as Leonard was called for a hook on Michigan’s Tyler Duke 35 seconds into their man advantage. Neither team was able to generate much on their brief power-play chances.
BC got another power play shortly after this, when Estapa again went to the box, this time for a trip. However, Michigan’s penalty kill unit, which came into the game ranked 45th in the country, held the Eagles off the scoreboard.