It was a disappointing ending for four British Columbia Hockey League graduates at Ford Field on Saturday night, as the Wisconsin Badgers skated off the ice empty-handed after a 5-0 loss to Boston College in the NCAA Championship Game.
The Eagles broke out with four goals in the third period to put the game out of reach and secure the program’s second national title in three seasons. Boston College, who were playing in their fourth championship game in five years, were crowned NCAA Champions in 2008. They also enacted revenge on the Badgers who beat them out for the NCAA title in 2006.
Matt Price, who scored two goals in the victory, broke the ice 12:57 into the first period on the power play to put the Eagles in front 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Then, after a scoreless second, Boston College exploded offensively to tally three goals in 5:42. The Eagles’ sniper Cam Atkinson, who had already piled up four goals entering the final game, broke out in the final frame to score twice, including the 2-0 marker 1:38 into the third. He added a power-play goal midway through the period to make it a 4-0 game and all but seal the deal.
Impressively, Boston College, who beat No. 1-ranked Miami-Ohio 7-1 in the national semi-final on Thursday, outscored their opponents 12-1 in the final two games en route to the NCAA title. In all, the Eagles — the highest scoring school in the tournament — notched 24 goals in four contests, including six from the sophomore Atkinson.
A year ago after missing the tournament altogether in 2009, Boston College is champions of college hockey and will get their chance to defend their crown next season.
For Wisconsin, it was the final collegiate game for former Salmon Arm SilverBacks forward and Badgers’ captain Ben Street. The fifth-year senior tallied one point in the tournament and finished his senior season with 15 goals and 29 points to wind up sixth in team scoring.
Meanwhile, former Westside Warriors defenseman Justin Schultz was a standout for the Badgers, stepping into the line-up as a freshman without missing a beat. The Anaheim Ducks’ 2008 second-round pick scored two goals and added a pair of assists in his first NCAA Tournament experience.
