Michigan hockey shut out in Frozen Four by Boston College, 4-0

ST. PAUL, Minn. − New year, same story.

The Michigan hockey team extended its NCAA record to 28 frozen four appearance, but for the eighth time in its last nine trips to the national semifinals, and the third year in a row, failed to advance to the national title game.

The Wolverines fell 4-0 to 1-seed Boston College on Thursday evening in front of 18,598 fans at Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul, as they fell behind in the second-minute of the game and then allowed two goals in less than a minute mid-way through the contest to get in a hole that was too deep to overcome.

The top-ranked Eagles will face 1-seed Denver, a 2-1 OT winner over fellow 1-seed Boston University in the first semifinal of the evening, in the national championship on Saturday (6:00 p.m. EST, ESPN2).

RELATED: Michigan hockey had a plan going into game against Boston College.

In many respects, U-M was seen as not supposed to be in this spot − Brandon Naurato's team was on the bubble in March and also emerged as the lone bottom seed to advance on the heels of consecutive upsets of North Dakota and Michigan State in the regional round − however after losing as the favorite in recent years, found losing as the underdog hurts no less.

It's not that U-M was completely out-classed. On the contrary it controlled the tempo much of the game and had more shots on goal (32-22) and won the face-off battle (26-22), but for whatever reason could never find its rhythm, whether it was due to 19 Eagles blocked shots or constant sticks in passing lanes.

Michigan entered play with the best rated power play in NCAA hockey since Harvard in 1987, yet it went 0-for-4 when it had an extra skater on the ice, as it was shutout in a Frozen Four for the first time in its history.

Punched in the mouth

Michigan was buzzing early as Seamus Casey hit the post in the first minute, but when TJ Hughes whiffed on an opportunity in front of the net, the puck spurted out and led to a 2-on-1 Eagles breakaway the other way.

It all but happened in slow motion as, Gabe Perrault advanced to Ryan Leonard, who then found the nation's points leader, Webster McKade, as he settled the puck just long enough to lift it over Jake Barczewski's out-stretched stick to give BC a 1-0 lead 80 seconds into the game.

Even with some shell-shock, Michigan remained active in the early going. Just more than eight minutes into the game, the scoreboard showed U-M had out-shot BC 6-1 and won four of the game's five faceoffs, but BC goaltender Jacob Fowler turned away a flurry of high-percentage chances early on.

Neither team had any decent looks for some time, until U-M's Mark Estapa got called for boarding at 12:16. The Eagles got one decent look from the slot which fired wide, before Leonard got called for a hook just 35 seconds later and the game went to 4-on-4, but neither team was able to capitalize.

At 15:50 Estapa was again whistled, this time for tripping, which put the nation's No. 2 rated power play back on the ice, but once more the Wolverines escaped unscathed.

The period came to a close with U-M holding an 9-6 edge in shots and 12-7 lead in faceoffs, but trailing 1-0.

One-two combo

It didn't take long before the first solid goal scoring opportunity of the second period.

Michigan was caught in the midst of a line change when Leonard found himself with the puck streaking down the right side. After a nifty move between the legs to get by Tyler Duke, he crossed across the crease and fired a back-hand shot, but Barczewski stretched out his right leg just far enough to make the save at 1:24.

Michigan's top-ranked power play got its first true chance of the game at 3:05, after Cutter Gauthier was called for interference, but the Eagles killed it without letting as much as a shot on goal. Neither team would have another true look on goal until BC had a look at a one-timer in front of the net that Gavin Brindley dove in front of at 7:28.

The game would remain gritty − as the time crossed over the midway point of the period, there were nearly the same amount of blocked shots (18) as there were total shots on goal (21) − between two of the three highest scoring teams in the nation until Boston College's Drew Fortescue committed a trip at 11:45 to put U-M back on the man advantage.

That lasted all of 26 seconds, before Dylan Duke Got called for tripping, to bring the game back to 4-on-4 and the Eagles took advantage.

Will Smith carried the puck back behind the keeper, then threw the puck in front of the net where it bounced off a skate and ricocheted into the back of the net to double up BC's lead with 7:35 remaining in the the second period.

Michigan didn't even have enough time to recover from the heartbreak when Rutger McGroarty gave the puck up near the blue line. The turnover set up Gauthier on a fast break with nobody in front of him, and he fired home another goal 49 seconds later to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.

Despite the deflating stretch, U-M kept its energy up. Garrett Schifsky got a good look from the right slot that was gloved with 1:59, then Dylan Duke's had a good look that was denied with 75 seconds to play, but the Wolverines were turned away and shutout through two periods of play.

Eagles close it out

Michigan came out on fire, as two Dylan Duke shots were stuffed at the net before another wrap-around of his was denied all within the first 45 seconds of the period.

It looked like the Eagles had a chance to really put the game away when Leonard got the puck on yet another breakaway, but Barczewski denied the attempt with his left leg 1:23 into the period.

Michigan got off five shots in the first three minutes and change of the period, but the next goal didn't come until Perreault carried the puck up the left side, then ducked around behind the net and throw in the wrap-around goal for his third point of the night with 14:54 to play.

Michigan got its fourth power play of the night and got 10 shots off in a matter of 82 seconds, but each was denied by Fowler. The game was nearly 5-0 with 6:58 to play, but Barczewski made a save on a one-timer from the slot.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan hockey's season ends in Frozen Four to Boston College, 4-0