BC captures 12th Hockey East title with 6-2 victory over BU

Boston College secured one coveted trophy and will begin the process of capturing a bigger one.

The Eagles hoisted the Lou Lamoriello Trophy for a record 12th time and first since 2012 with a 6-2 victory over crosstown rival Boston University in the Hockey East championship game on Saturday night at the TD Garden.

BC and BU met in the Hockey East final for the third time and first as the No. 1 and No. 2 programs in the nation. BC freshman center Will Smith led the way with four goals and an assist for 61 points on the season and was named tournament MVP.

The Eagles improved to 31-5-1 and 21-3-1 in Hockey East with their 12th straight victory. BC will be awarded the No. 1 seed and a favorable destination when the NCAA announces it field of 16 on Sunday night (6:30) on ESPNU. BC is expected to open the tournament on Friday at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I.

“You want to be feeling good about your game going into the NCAA tournament,” said BC coach Greg Brown, the Hockey East Coach of the Year. “At BC, when I was here as an assistant when we won Hockey East we had a little more confidence and did well in the NCAA’s.

“At BC it was working when we were doing pretty well in national tournaments and it was that boost of confidence you got from winning this tournament.”

BC took the No. 1 ranking from BU by sweeping the regular season home-and home-series and stayed on top despite losing to the Terriers 5-4 in the Beanpot semifinal on Feb. 5. BC ran the table to the Hockey East tournament and extended its win streak with tournament wins over UConn, UMass and BU.

UMass was perched on the bubble after being bombed 8-1 by the Eagles in Friday night’s semifinals. But if the dominoes fall the Minutemen’s way, they could get the No. 4 seed in the Springfield Regional at the MassMutual Center. In that event, the Terriers would wind up as the No. 1 seed in Maryland Heights, Mo., or Sioux Falls, S.D. No. 7 Maine was in before losing to BU 4-1 in the semifinal.

“We have to get past it, we are still playing and this is not the end of our season,” said BU coach Jay Pandolfo. “That is the positive and it is going to hurt tonight but we will get past it and get going in the NCAA tournament. Our guys are pretty good at responding and we have a good group in there, a mature group.”

BU freshman left wing Shane Lachance was in the penalty box for slashing when BC went up 1-0 on the power play on a lucky bounce at 5:46 of the first. Smith took a pass from defenseman Eamon Powell below the left circle and fired a wrist shot toward the BU cage. The puck deflected off the skate of BU defenseman Case McCarthy and by goalie Matthieu Caron. Smith, a Hobey Baker finalist, was credited with his 20th tally of the season.

“Those are always nice when you get a little lucky bounce,” said Smith. “We wanted to throw stuff at the net and and I was lucky it went in and it got everything started.”

BU went down a man for the second time when sophomore defenseman Lane Hutson got lugged to the cooler for tripping at 7:38. Smith finished a BC transition breakout that began with a clearing pass Powell to Gabe Perreault down the left flank. Perreault made a horizonal pass to Smith, who snapped a wrist shot inside the far post on the stick side for his second.

BU cut the lead to 2-1 at 4:24 of the on a laser wrist shot by freshman defenseman Gavin McCarthy, his first goal of the season. Sophomore center Ryan Greene delivered a clean pass from behind the goal line to McCarthy, who was stationed at the right point. McCarthy, a Buffalo Sabres draft pick, advanced the puck to the top of the circle and ripped it past BC freshman goalie Jacob Fowler top shelf on the glove side.

BU senior left-wing Luke Tuch got bagged for boarding at 17:51 and it resulted in BC’s third power play goal. Smith dished Perreault, who was perched unattended to the right of the BU cage.

Perreault sent it across the crease to sophomore center Cutter Gauthier, who swatted home his nation’s best 35th goal of the season at 18:46. Gauthier is an Anaheim Ducks first-round draft pick and a Hobey Baker finalist.

Smith had the hats cascading down at 6:46 of the third when scored from the low slot to make it 4-1 with his 22nd of the season. Perreault scored BC’s fourth power play goal at 11:32.