Ryan Leonard scored in his third straight game for no. 1 ranked Boston College on Friday night, helping push the Eagles to a 6-3 win over unranked Vermont. The marker was Leonard’s 13th in his last 11 games, the 26th of his season, and his 40th point (26g, 14a).
After recording 60 points (31g, 29a) in his freshman campaign, Leonard has an even 100 points (57g, 43a) through 71 NCAA games. He is only the third BC player to reach the milestone in the last decade.
BC skaters to reach 100 points in the last decade:
-Ryan Leonard (#allcaps)
-Cutter Gauthier (#flytogether)
-Johnny Gaudreau 🕊️Full circle moment…
— Anthony Smith (@anthony_smith89) February 22, 2025
Leonard’s goal came with the Eagles on a power play 12:06 into the second period. After being fed the puck by defenseman Eamon Powell at the right point, Leonard crept down into the high slot and fired a laser wrister past the glove hand of goaltender Axel Mangbo.
The goal gave BC their first lead in the game, 3-2, which they would not relinquish for the rest of regulation. Leonard finished the night with one goal, seven shots on target, and one blocked shot.
Leonard started the night on the team’s first line with longtime linemate Gabe Perreault and center Andre Gasseau. However, Perreault was ejected from the game with just three seconds remaining in the first period after receiving a major penalty for cross-checking Vermont’s Joel Maatta after the latter boarded Leonard.
Leonard’s 57 career goals rank tied for 13th all-time among under-20 skaters in the NCAA. He is the only player to have played during the 2020s in the top 20, with Thomas Vanek, the longtime Buffalo Sabres winger, the other most recent after he potted 57 goals in 12 more games than Leonard for the Minnesota Gophers from 2002-2004.
The Washington Capitals top prospect has scored more NCAA goals before turning 21 than notable NHL names like Dany Heatley (52), Zach Parise (49), Cole Caufield (49), Brock Boeser (43), Johnny Gaudreau (42), Jonathan Toews (40), Martin St. Louis (37), Paul Kariya (33), Tage Thompson (33), Alex Tuch (32), and Matty Beniers (30).
No other under-20 players have scored 20 goals yet in the NCAA this season. Leonard leads them all in goals (26), points (40), and point-per-game rate (1.33).
