Boston College Eagles advance to Frozen Four after thrilling OT win over Quinnipiac

BOSTON -- The top-ranked Boston College Eagles are just two wins away from adding another NCAA title to its collection. But the Boston University Terriers could be standing in their way in the end.

The Eagles advanced to the Frozen Four for the 26th time in school history -- and first since 2016 -- on Sunday with a thrilling 5-4 overtime win over Quinnipiac to win the Providence Regional. Graduate student Jack Malone scored the game-winner by cleaning up a mess in front of the Bobcats' net to punch Boston College's ticket to St. Paul in a few weeks.

After a scoreless first period, Quinnipiac scored a pair of goals just 35 seconds apart early in the second period to take a 2-0 lead. But BC's Ryan Leonard answered that barrage with a power play goal at the 2:20 mark off a nice feed from Cutter Gauthier. Andre Gasseau tied the game midway through the period with his 12th goal of the season.

The Bobcats retook the lead with just over four minutes to play in the second period, but Leonard answered less than two minutes later with another power play tally. Sunday was his second straight two-goal game in the tournament, after his two-goal showing in BC's 6-1 win over Michigan Tech on Friday.

Quinnipiac took advantage of a power player early in the third period and took a 4-3 lead just 16 seconds into the frame when Jacob Quillan scored his second goal of the game. The Bobcats held that edge for the majority of the third period, but with less than five minutes on the clock, Eagles freshman Aram Minnetian forced a turnover, fed Gauthier, and when he got the puck back, Minnetian beat Vinnie Dupplessis to make it a 4-4 game.

Malone put home his game-winner just three minutes into overtime to give the Eagles their first -- and only -- lead of the afternoon and send his team to St. Paul, Minnesota.

"I didn't even see it go in honestly until I saw the net move and saw everyone's reaction," Malone told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche on the ice after the victory. "I told my parents that I almost passed out from yelling in the scrum so much." 

Leonard was named the Providence Region Most Outstanding Player on Sunday after recording four goals and an assist over Boston College's two wins. 

"It's the best feeling we can have all year," Leonard told Roche. "Now we're just trying to prove that we're supposed to be there."

The Eagles have now won 14 straight and sit at 33-5-1, matching the program's record for wins (2001 and 2012). Boston College will next play Michigan in the Frozen Four on April 11 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Boston University Terriers are on the other side of the bracket and will face Denver in the early game on April 11.