Prep bows out against BC High in Super 8

NORTH ANDOVER – The Catholic Conference was guaranteed to have at least one team in the Super 8 finals on Sunday at TD Garden. And as it turned out, it was the one that many people didn’t expect to make it.Chris LaLiberte’s goal with 5:27 left in regulation was the difference as BC High defeated St. John’s Prep, 3-2, at Lawler Arena to earn a spot in Sunday’s (6:30) finals against Malden Catholic.It was the second time in three games that BC knocked off the Eagles this season. This time, BC did it with three less-than-likely goal-scorers and a stellar goaltending performance from Peter Cronin.”We pretty much knew that it was going to be a one-goal game,” St. John’s coach Kristian Hanson said. “All three of their goals came in front of our net and that’s from them working hard and being persistent and dirty. That’s what it takes to win these games.”The Eagles (16-6-1) didn’t have their best game of the tournament but were still very much alive after seeing BC take a 2-1 lead late in the second period when Tim LaRocque’s shot bounced off David Letarte’s shoulder and trickled in.The Prep had plenty of confidence taking the ice in the third, and controlled the play for the better part of the first eight minutes.”We had a lot of confidence going into the third that we could tie the game or even win it,” Hanson said.BC gave the Prep a power play chance but Cronin came up with three big saves on the Eagles’ big gun – Sam Kurker – to keep it a 2-1 game. Just after the power play ended, defenseman Evan LeClerc floated a wrister from high in the slot over Cronin’s shoulder to deadlock the game at 2-2.”After that goal, we told the guys going on the ice that this was the biggest shift of the game,” BC coach John Flaherty said.LaLiberte heeded that call almost immediately. Off a mad scramble in front of the Prep goal, Letarte couldn’t fall on a loose puck and LaLiberte made him pay by snapping a third rebound home 29 seconds after LeClerc’s goal.”Once we got that second goal, BC picked it up a bit,” Hanson said.The Prep cranked up its pressure as time began to run out on its season. But Cronin was equal to every challenge.St. John’s pulled Letarte with 35 seconds left for an extra attacker and got three good looks at a tying goal but the BC defense was able to kill off the time.”We had some great chances with David pulled and Cronin made the saves late,” Hanson said.