If it can’t get done on the gridiron, Boston College fans can always rely on their boys on blades.
The Holy War hasn’t happened in Conte Forum since 2022, and BC men’s hockey sought its first win in Chestnut Hill since 2019.
With the many ups and downs (maybe more of the latter) that have come with BC sports this year, James Hagens and co. wanted to guarantee no disappointment in this rendition of the Holy War.
Led by the sophomore’s hat trick and a four-goal second period, the No. 15 Eagles (8–5–1, 5–3–0 Hockey East) offensively dominated in their 5–3 win over Notre Dame (4–9–1, 0–6–0 Big Ten).
“I think it’s just keying in on executing,” Hagens said. “We’ve been getting a lot of chances in the beginning of the year, and we just weren’t burying them, so I think now everyone’s really been keying in on that.”
Notre Dame wasted no time spoiling the rival’s reunion, though, potting its first goal of the afternoon just 3:23 into the game. A bouncing puck found captain Danny Nelson’s stick in front of the net, who tapped it in backhand for a Fighting Irish 1–0 lead.
Goaltender Louka Cloutier would face four shots the rest of the first period, but the quality shots he did face, he remained grounded between the pipes.
“We gave up too many high quality chances, and Louka was huge for us,” BC head coach Greg Brown said. “They were bumping it back to speed coming up the middle, which was giving us a lot of trouble.”
Although leading shots 16–5, BC entered the first intermission still trailing 1–0 as the Fighting Irish stood its ground in the defensive zone.
“I think it’s just taking care of the puck, making sure you’re able to be trusted out there, especially defensively,” Hagens said about the differences between the first and second periods. “If you’re not getting chances in the o-zone, you got to just play with the storm—you got to make sure you’re coming back, stopping in your spot, and doing everything that helps keep the puck out of the net.”
It would take nearly the whole first half of the second frame for the Eagles to tie the game up. Will Skahan’s five-hole slapshot from the point finally put the Eagles on the board, breaking a four-period scoreless drought on home ice.
A little over four minutes later, Notre Dame got right back to where it was, snatching its one-goal lead back with Evan Werner’s goal from a rebound off the back wall.
With only one goal on 20 shots, it’s important to note Brown frequently mentions his teams’ inability to finish the high quality chances generated at some points in the game.
“Defensively, we were a little too loose early on, so you’re not getting as many great looks, and your best looks are off turnovers,” Brown said about the first period. “We’re creating more turnovers now and then—there were definitely some that we were getting good chances, and they just weren’t going in.
But it seemed the tides had finally shifted in the second period.
Fifty-four seconds after the Fighting Irish took the lead, Dean Letourneau finished off a great find from Nolan Joyce for his sixth goal of the season.
Hagens put in his first—of many—with just under three minutes remaining, wrapping himself around to shove home a rebound goal for BC’s first lead of the game. He then took advantage of a lackadaisical–Notre Dame defense in the final seconds of the period, rifling in his second goal and doubling the Eagles’ lead.
“Some of the chances in the second were more quality, even though we didn’t have the volume of shots,” Brown said. “We stress all the time not to pass up quality chances. If you get too picky on your chances, then a lot of times you’re letting the goalie off the hook, and it doesn’t help you keep the momentum.”
Notre Dame pressured early into the third, cutting the BC lead in half after a deflected shot from the point snuck over Cloutier’s shoulder for its third goal of the afternoon.
That would finish the night for any pucks sneaking past Cloutier, who finished with 20 saves on 23 shots.
“The third period was a tough start, and they definitely had the momentum. We got some huge saves from Louka there to keep us in the lead,” Brown said.
But just five minutes later, the Bruins top-10 pick took initiative on a 2-on-1 with Jake Sondreal and went bar down to cap off his first hat trick at the collegiate level.
The Eagles staved off any and all chances generated by Notre Dame in the final half of the third period, marking its sixth game this season with four or more goals.
“[James is] more comfortable, more mature, stronger—he knows that he can carry that offensive load,” Brown said. “Tonight he had a few of those shifts, and his finishes tonight were really outstanding, but you can see he’s growing into his game.”