Tyler Ward posted his first hat-trick as a Wildcat but UNH was eliminated in OT by Boston College in the Hockey East Tournament. (Courtesy photo by China Wong/UNH Athletics)

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Senior forward Tyler Ward (Kamloops, British Columbia) scored three goals for the Wildcats but Marc McLaughlin scored the game winner in overtime for BC as the No. 9 seed University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team fell to No. 8 seed Boston College, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Conte Forum in the Opening Round of the Hockey East Tournament.

The Wildcats conclude the season 14-19-1, while the Eagles improve to 15-17-5. BC advances to the quarterfinals to take on No. 1 seed Northeastern on Saturday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. on NESN+ from Matthews Arena.

BC took a 1-0 lead at 6:08 of the first period when Jack McBain fired a one-timer to the upper glove side.

The Wildcats tied the contest at 1-1 when Ward sent a shot to the net that was saved by Eric Dop, but Ward then pounced on the puck and knocked it to the back of the goal. Freshman forward Robert Cronin (Plymouth, Mass.) and sophomore defenseman Nikolai Jenson (Cold Spring, Minn.) each posted an assist on the score.

Nikita Nesterenko gave BC a 2-1 advantage when he scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway at 2:48 of the second period.

McLaughlin scored a power play goal at 14:42 when he sent a loose puck from the slot stick side for the 3-1 BC lead.

At 8:41 of the third period and on the power play, Ward netted his second goal of the contest when he wristed the puck from the side of the net over the glove shoulder of BC goalie Eric Dop. Senior forward Jackson Pierson (Zionsville, Ind.) and senior forward Filip Engarås (Stockholm, Sweden) each tallied an assist on the goal.

Ward then tied the game at 3-3 when he tipped a shot from junior defenseman Kalle Eriksson (Leksand, Sweden) at 15:11. Engarås also posted an assist on the goal.

McLaughlin scored the game-winner in overtime for his second goal of the game to give BC the win.

Senior goalie Mike Robinson of Bedford made 23 saves, while Dop posted 44 saves.