The Boston College Eagles continued their scorching hot streak, shutting out the Michigan Wolverines 4-0 in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals on Thursday night. The top-seeded Eagles will now face off against No. 3 Denver in the championship game on Saturday, with a chance to claim their fifth national title and first since 2012.
Leading the charge for BC was sophomore sensation Will Smith, who tallied two goals in the convincing victory.
Ten years ago, a remarkable underdog story unfolded on the ice of Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. On April 12, 2014, the Union College Dutchmen (now known as the Garnet Chargers) etched their name into NCAA hockey lore by capturing the national championship in stunning fashion, defeating the mighty Minnesota Gophers 7-4.
As the puck dropped that fateful night, few gave Union a fighting chance against the powerhouse Gophers, stacked with NHL prospects and sporting a legacy of excellence.
Rutger McGroarty has his sights set on one goal this season - winning the NCAA hockey championship with the Michigan Wolverines. The 20-year-old forward, drafted 14th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2022, has been a driving force behind the Wolverines’ run to the Frozen Four, the NCAA’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup.
After a heartbreaking semifinal loss last year, McGroarty is determined to go one step further and capture the coveted national title.
The chill of winter may be fading, but the ice remains electrifyingly hot as the NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey season reaches its thrilling climax. This week, the Frozen Four descends upon the XCel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where the nation’s top teams will battle for the ultimate prize – the coveted national championship title.
Leading the charge are two Boston powerhouses, stoking the flames of a potential all-Beantown final not witnessed since the halcyon days of 1978.
