Boston College Defeated By Minnesota, 3-1, In National Title Game
Freshman forward Makenna Newkirk scores goal for Eagles

Freshman forward Makenna Newkirk scored a goal for the Eagles
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 0:13  MIN1-0 EV Sarah Potomak (15)Hannah Brandt/39, Megan Wolfe/24
3rd 8:31  MIN2-0 EV GW Amanda Kessel (11)Sarah Potomak/39
3rd 13:12  MIN3-0 EV Kelly Pannek (23)Lee Stecklein/22
3rd 14:07  BC1-3 EV Makenna Newkirk (22)Megan Keller/40, Andie Anastos/23
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Minnesota  1023
Boston College  0011
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Minnesota  1215734
Boston College  1214733
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Minnesota (35-4-1)  0/3 4/8 0
Boston College (40-1-0)  0/4 3/6 0
Minnesota Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Amanda Leveille (W, 29-4-1)60:001 1214632
Boston College Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Katie Burt (L, 35-1-0)57:463 1115531
Empty Net2:140     

DURHAM, N.H. - The Boston College women's hockey team saw its dream season come to an end on Sunday afternoon when No. 3 Minnesota topped the Eagles, 3-1, in the national championship game at UNH's Whittemore Center.

Minnesota jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 13 seconds into the game as the Gophers forced the play deep in the zone, allowing Hannah Brandt to find Sarah Potomak in front for a one-timer. Minnesota then continued to pressure the Eagles, building a 10-2 shot advantage midway through the period before BC settled and finished the period tied on shots at 12-12.

The teams were scoreless in the second half, but Minnesota extended its lead to 2-0 at 8:31 of the third period when Amanda Kessel bounced a shot off the post, converting the Potomak pass off the boards. The Gophers then built the lead to 3-0 at 13:12 when Kelly Pannek stole the puck off Megan Keller's stick on a clearance attempt and put a turn-around shot on target that found space behind Katie Burt's leg.

BC pulled one back less than a minute later when Makenna Newkirk potted the rebound of Keller's deflected shot from the point. The Eagles pulled Burt with 2:23 left and had heavy pressure on Gophers goaltender Amanda Leveille, but could not convert. Minnesota got the puck in the Eagles' zone and had several chances for an open-net goal, but the Eagles disrupted the shots enough to keep the puck out.

Burt finished with 31 saves, while Leveille made 32 stops.

As time expired, the Gophers (35-4-1) celebrated their seventh national championship while BC suffered its first loss of the season, finishing the year 40-1-0.

Two Eagles were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team, which included: Amanda Leveille (UM), Megan Keller (BC), Lee Stecklein (UM), Haley Skarupa (BC), Sarah Potomak (UM), Amanda Kessel (UM). Potomak was voted the most outstanding player of the tournament.

2016 NCAA Tournament | National Championship Game
#3 Minnesota 3, #1 Boston College 1
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Whittemore Center, Durham, N.H.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

- Boston College closed its best-ever season, becoming only the second-ever team in NCAA history to win 40 games in a season

- The Eagles played in their first-ever national championship contest today

- BC finished the season with the second-best single-season winning percentage in NCAA history (.976)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1st, 00:13 // 0-1 - MINN GOAL - Off the opening faceoff, National Freshman of the Year Sarah Potomak dumped the puck in and Hannah Brandt chased it down behind the goal. She collected it off an Eagles' defenseman stick and played it back to Potomak coming hard into the slot, where she fired it past Katie Burt for the 1-0 lead just 13 seconds into the game

3rd, 8:31 // 0-2 - MINN GOAL - Amanda Kessel trailed the play and picked up Hannah Brandt's centering pass from down low and fired back across the goal, her shot kicking in off the post and beating Burt for a 2-0 lead.

3rd, 6:48 // 0-3 - MINN GOAL - Kelly Pannek intercepted a clearing attempt just off the post, skated into the low slot and turned and fired into space between Burt and the near post.

3rd, 14:07 // 1-3 - BC GOAL - Megan Keller's blast from the point was blocked and kicked through traffic down low, where Makenna Newkirk was on the doorstep to deposit the loose puck and get the Eagles on the board.

SEASON NOTES

- Today marked Boston College's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Championship game ... it came in the Eagles' sixth trip to the Frozen Four

- The Eagles finished the year with a 40-1-0 record, becoming the second team in NCAA history to earn 40 wins in a season

- The Eagles' final .976 winning percentage will be the second-best single-season mark in NCAA history

- Boston College scored 213 goals this season, the fourth-highest single-season total in NCAA history

- BC's 592 points this season are a new NCAA record, passing the 579 that Minnesota-Duluth scored in 2002-03

- BC's 379 assists this season are also the new NCAA single-season mark, passing Duluth's mark, which it also set in 2002-03

GAME NOTES

Team Notes

- Minnesota's goal just 13 seconds into the game was the fastest goal allowed by BC this season and just the 11th goal BC allowed in the first period this year

- The first period marked just the fourth time this season BC was held scoreless in the first this year, but the second straight game after Clarkson also kept the Eagles off the board in the national semifinal

- BC was trailing in shots 10-2 midway through the first period, but finished the first even at 12-12

- The Eagles were out-shot for just the fourth time this season and for the second time in as many games

- BC is now 7-8 all-time in NCAA history

Player Notes

- Makenna Newkirk's third-period goal was her 22nd goal of the season, leading all freshmen nationally this season ... her 22 goals were tied for 12th nationally on the season

- Newkirk finished the season second nationally in points to Minnesota's Sarah Potomak (54) ... Newkirk had 49 points on the year, the third-highest freshman point total in program history

- Megan Keller recorded her 40th assist of the season on Newkirk's third-period goal ... her 40 assists represent the third-highest single-season total in program history and tied for fourth overall ... she finished the season ranked third nationally in assists

- Andie Anastos notched her 37th point of the season with her assist on Newkirk's goal ... she

- Katie Burt made 31 saves in the loss ... it was her fifth game with 30 or more saves this season, and her second in a row

- Boston College finished the year with the top three players nationally in assists: Alex Carpenter (45), Haley Skarupa (44) and Megan Keller (40)

- BC also had two of the top three goal-scorers in the nation: Alex Carpenter was second (43), Haley Skarupa was third (35)