Union Beats BC, Advances to Championship

Boston College has thawed, but Union is still frozen. 

In a back-and-forth, hard fought game, the Dutchmen bested the Eagles, 5-4, and advanced to Saturday's national championship game.

Rick Bennett's team fell behind early when Johnny Gaudreau notched a garbage goal just 2:08 into the game.  They struck back, though, equally early in the game's second period, when a Mat Bodie laser found the top corner of the net.  The teams traded goals later in the period and took a tie game into the third - where the Dutchmen dominated.

Daniel Ciampini scored on the power play to pull ahead - his second goal of the game - and, after denying Boston College on their own man-advantage, Mike Vecchione capitalized on the hard forecheck work of Kevin Sullivan to make it a two-goal lead.  With the goalie pulled and 1:45 to play, Ryan Fitzgerald scored for Boston College to get back within one, but Ciampini got on the end of a Mat Bodie lob pass and slammed home his third goal, and the final nail in BC's coffin.  A soft consolation goal with 4.2 seconds left would make no difference.  Union was moving on.

The Dutchmen will play Minnesota on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Minnesota defeated the University of North Dakota.