The third time was definitely a charm for Nathan Gerbe and his Boston College Eagles. After losing back to back finals in ’06 and ’07, BC picked up their third national title in school history in this their ninth trip to the title game. Led by Gerbe’s two goals and two assists on the night, the Eagles were simply too fast and too powerful for Jeff Jackson’s upstart Fighting Irish. Following a scoreless first period the Eagles found the back of the net three times in the second.

Gerbe lit the lamp on the first two and assisted on the third. His best play of the night however may have come on BC’s final tally as Gerbe raced past the net after a loose puck that was quickly approaching the boards. The Hobey Baker finalist then, in one motion, got to the puck and without turning around flipped it between his legs backward to teammate Ben Smith who was crashing in front of the Irish goal. Smith put it in for the fourth and final score of the evening. The goal came just a mere 35 seconds after Notre Dame thought they had cut the game to 3-2. The Irish goal was overturned however, because after further review it was ruled it had been kicked in.

“It’s unbelievable,” Smith said. “No one thought we’d even be in Denver. To pull through, to persevere, that’s a testament to the guys on this team and the leaders and the coaches.”

“What makes it so much sweeter is the team we have,” alternate captain Matt Greene said. “Everyone truly loves each other in this locker room. We let two national championships slip from our hands the last two years, so we knew we couldn’t sit back. We never took our foot off the pedal this time around when we got up, and when we got that insurance goal, that was that.”

Gerbe, who scored half of his team’s ten goals over the course of the weekend and assisted on three others, was the unanimous choice for Most Outstanding Player. Joining him on the all-tournament team were BC freshman goaltender John Muse, who gave up just one goal each against North Dakota and Notre Dame,  Eagle forward Ben Smith and Eagle defenseman and team captain Mike Brennan. Two Irishmen, forward Kevin Deeth and defenseman Kyle Lawson rounded out the all tournament squad.