For Boston

Boston College men's hockey finally got over the hump and won the national championship, beating Notre Dame 4-1 in Denver last night.

The Eagles (24-11-8) had lost in the last two finals. It's their first title since 2001 and third in program history.

Junior forward Nathan Gerbe made up for losing the Hobey Baker (what a joke) by scoring two goals and dishing out two assists. He had five goals and three assists in the two Frozen Four games.

Freshman goalie John Muse made 20 of 21 saves for the win.

After a scoreless first period, Boston College jumped on Notre Dame (27-16-4) in the second with three straight goals. Gerbe scored off a one-timer then three minutes later he scored a ridiculous diving goal after the puck ricocheted off the back boards. Joe Whitney made it 3-0 after his shot deflected off an Irish defender's skate.

Notre Dame's Kevin Deeth caught the Eagles on a line change and broke the shutout. In the third, a controversial call turned out to be the play of the game. Notre Dame scored when the puck went off Kyle Lawson's skate, right outside the crease. After a lengthy review, the goal was overturned as they ruled that Lawson had kicked it.

It was a bum call and it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if it was 3-2. Notre Dame later rang a shot off the crossbar. With that said, BC was the better team all night.

Even worse for the Irish, BC scored 35 seconds later as Gerbe hit Ben Smith with a no-look pass from behind the net and Smith 's shot took a crazy bounce off a defender and past the ND goalie.

Boston College had too much speed and Gerbe was clearly the best player on the ice and in the tournament. He was electric every time the puck was on his stick. It didn't help that Notre Dame was 0 for 8 on the power play with just five shots.

It was BC head coach Jerry York's second title at the Heights.