GOAL BY GOAL: Poulin Leads Boston University To Hockey East Championship Over Boston College

All the good feels that come from an undefeated season are long gone for the BC women's hockey team.

After starting out 27-0-1 and utterly dismantling just about every opponent they faced, the Eagles have now lost the Beanpot to Harvard and the Hockey East championship to BU as their only two losses of the season, falling 4-1 to the Terriers on Sunday afternoon.

BU's Marie-Philip Poulin was awarded Tournament MVP. You'll soon see why.

Boston University Goal #1: 4:56 of the 1st period
Marie-Philip Poulin (Sarah Lefort, Lillian Ribeirinha-Braga)

BU 1, BC 0

You might remember Poulin from the Olympics, as she scored the game-tying and overtime goals to down the Americans for the gold medal.

It certainly seems like Poulin plays her best hockey when there is hardware on the line, because she was easily the best player on the ice this afternoon.

Unfortunately, BC helped her out a lot on this goal. Look at how all alone she is right in front of Katie Burt. I can understand if you lose track of someone, but how do you lose track of a Patty Kazmaier finalist and one of the world's foremost superstars?

Poulin goes all Sidney Crosby on Burt, deking her way to an open net to shoot at and burying it for the early Terrier lead.

Boston College Goal #1: 6:14 of the 2nd period
Alex Carpenter (Emily Pfalzer, Haley Skarupa)

BC 1, BU 1

The first period was intense, back and forth hockey, but BC came to play in the 2nd and strongly controlled play.

Carpenter scores to tie the game on a nice changeup-like deflection from Pfalzer. BU gave Pfalzer time to decide what to do with the puck, waits until Carpenter skates a little lower into the slot, and makes the hard pass over with just enough speed on it that Carpenter can redirect it past Hanson.

Boston University Goal #2 (GWG): 2:40 of the 3rd period
Marie-Philip Poulin (Kayla Tutino)

BU 2, BC 1

Another lost puck battle behind the net is what sinks the Eagles. Early in the third period, with BC controlling play much as they had through the 2nd period, the Terriers put together a goal out of absolutely nothing.

Keller gets harrassed off the puck and Tutino skates in hard to pick it up. There's that Goddamn Poulin again, in front of the net for the one timer that beats Burt to give BU the lead for good.

Boston University Goal #3 (PPG): 12:31 of the 3rd period
Maddie Elia (Sarah Steele, Shannon Doyle)

BU 3, BC 1

BC challenged for the tying goal with a couple of okay chances, but BU converted on a late penalty by Bender, putting the game away.

Keller is a freshman so it's tough to see her as the defenseman of record on these two third period goals. Elia for BU comes in with a head of steam and Keller, initially trying to win a race to the puck, finds herself in no-man's-land with Elia carrying enough momentum to skate right past her to the net.

One quick move to the backhand is all it takes, and the game is effectively over.

BU would score an empty netter, the first one allowed by BC all season, sending the Terriers into a celebration for their 4th consecutive Hockey East championship and 5th in the last 6th years -- ludicrous when you consider that BC is ranked ahead of the Terriers in the Pairwise just about every single season.

BC now awaits the selection show this evening at 7pm (link to the live show here), but they will face Clarkson at Conte Forum next Saturday in the NCAA quarterfinals. It's a rematch of last season's quarterfinal where the Golden Knights dispatched the Eagles on their way to their first national championship.