Ryan Leonard can’t stop scoring.
The Washington Capitals top prospect recorded his first career NCAA hat trick in Boston College’s 6-4 win over UMass on Sunday.
With Boston College down 4-3 halfway through the third period, Leonard scored twice in just 58 seconds to put the Eagles on top and complete his hat trick. Cutter Gauthier would add an empty netter to seal the victory for the number-one-ranked team in the country.
Leonard’s first tally came earlier in the contest with 13:16 remaining in the first period. The game’s opening goal was kicked off by Gabe Perreault finding a puck along the boards behind the UMass net and slinging a one-time pass to Leonard in the right faceoff circle.
Leonard gathered the puck, let it drift into a better shooting position, and snapped it over goaltender Michael Hrabal’s blocker. Perreault would then score his own goal late in the first but UMass responded with three straight to start the second period to take the lead.
In the third period, with BC on a five-on-three man advantage, Leonard snuck into the slot and scored his second of the game to tie things up at 4-4. The wicked wrister beat Hrabal to the glove side this time.
Leonard’s second goal in quick succession to give himself the hat trick was perhaps his most impressive.
With the Eagles still on a power play, Leonard received a pass from linemate Will Smith low in the left faceoff circle. Leonard then turned towards the net, made a power move to get a better shooting angle, deked around a poke check, and finished past Hrabal.
The three-goal game gives him five goals in two games against his hometown school, extends his goal streak to four games, and extends his point streak to a season-high 13 games. Leonard now has 21 goals on the season, tied for fourth in the entire NCAA.
The only freshman in the nation with more goals than him is the consensus number-one overall draft pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Macklin Celebrini (23). Leonard is also now in the top 10 in overall points with 41 (21g, 20a) from 29 games.
The Ryan Leonard file:
• 7 goals in the last 4 games
• 5 goals this weekend
• Hat trick
• Game-winnerNot a bad stretch for the Amherst native 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Wl0fQNV37m
— BC Men's Hockey (@BC_MHockey) February 18, 2024
