Boston College Falls to Denver, 5-2

Junior Michael Matheson scored a goal and an assist for the Eagles
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 4:48  DEN1-0 PP Joey LaLeggia (14)Daniel Doremus/22
1st 16:51  BC1-1 EV Michael Matheson (3)Adam Gilmour/18, Zach Sanford/17
1st 19:53.1 DEN2-1 EV Trevor Moore (22)Ty Loney/6, Quentin Shore/15
3rd 8:05  DEN3-1 EV GW Will Butcher (4)Daniel Doremus/23, Trevor Moore/22
3rd 9:04  DEN4-1 EV Grant Arnold (1)Larkin Jacobson/4, Matt Tabrum/5
3rd 14:51  BC2-4 PP Ryan Fitzgerald (17)Michael Matheson/22
3rd 18:47  DEN5-2 EV EN Grant Arnold (2)Larkin Jacobson/5, Matt Tabrum/6
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Boston College  1012
Denver  2035
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Boston College  671124
Denver  147728
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Boston College (21-14-3)  1/2 2/4 0
Denver (24-13-2)  1/2 2/4 0
Boston College Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Thatcher Demko (L, 19-13-3)59:334 127423
Empty Net0:271     
Denver Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Tanner Jaillet (W, 15-7-0)60:002 571022

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - No. 3-seeded Boston College rallied in both the first and third periods, but could not fend off No. 2-seeded Denver's firepower as the Eagles were dealt a first-round exit from the 2015 NCAA Tournament by a final score of 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

Junior captain Michael Matheson had a goal and an assist while sophomore forward Ryan Fitzgerald notched his team-best 17th tally on the power play. Sophomore Adam Gilmour and rookie Zach Sanford each logged an assist in the postseason affair.

Second-year backstopper Thatcher Demko turned aside 23 stops in the setback as Denver outtriggered Boston College, 28-24. Pioneers' netminder Tanner Jaillet steered away 22 Eagle attempts.

Boston College committed the first two infractions of the game and Denver cashed in on the second penalty, a Michael Sit cross-checking call (3:57), at 4:48 on a sneaky attack by Joey LaLeggia.

LaLeggia accepted the puck off the boards and curled around between the circles with the extra room. The Eagles banded together in the middle and tried to clog the lane, but LaLeggia's long-range wrister pinballed its way to the back of the net at 4:48.

Denver continued to apply the pressure in BC's end, but a deep Matheson blast tied things up, 1-1, at the 16:51 mark of the first period.

The Eagles gained a faceoff in the neutral zone and Gilmour and Sanford worked the disc off the faceoff to Matheson right on the blue line. With just one Pioneer blocking his way to the net, Matheson trigged with a slap shot that powered to the back of the net underneath Jaillet's blocker.

Before the first frame expired, Denver deflated some of Boston College's momentum with a late tally by Trevor Moore with 6.9 seconds to play.

Moore broke free down the left side and gathered Ty Loney's deep wrister and brought the rebound out wide. Demko made a sprawling attempt to thwart the backhander, but Moore's flick was a step ahead and gave the Pioneers a 2-1 lead heading into first intermission.

The second period housed only 14 shots, total, as each squad fired seven apiece.

Denver's firepower kicked in midway through the third as Will Butcher and Grant Arnold 59 seconds apart at 8:05 and 9:04, respectively.

Daniel Doremus took a feed from Moore on the left flank and left a drop pass off for Butcher in the circle. With ample room, Butcher snapped a shot past Demko's glove to claim a two-goal advantage, 3-1, at 8:05.

A few exchanges later, Arnold found himself alone in front with the puck after a precise dish from Larkin Jacobson. Jacobson took the puck from Matt Tabrum and provided the disc to Arnold with no one in front. Arnold took his time and popped it short side at 9:04 to attain a 4-1 cushion.

Fitzgerald's goal breathed life into a possible comeback as his power play strike occurred with 5:09 left in regulation.

Matheson worked the puck to Fitzgerald for a free shot from the slot that blasted the corner of the net to make it a two-goal affair. The Eagles continued to buzz about Denver's end, but could not breakthrough to cut the deficit to one and Arnold dumped in an empty-netter at 18:47 to ice the 5-2 contest.

The Eagles finish the season with a 21-14-3 mark.