By Sam Dykstra/DFP Staff
It was a game played on Boston collegiate hockey’s biggest stage. It was a game played between college hockey’s two fiercest rivals.
And it didn’t disappoint.
In a game that had to go to extra frames after three periods of back-and-forth action, No. 1 Boston College nipped No. 14 Boston University in overtime on a power-play goal by Tommy Cross.
The first period saw both teams acting a little jumpy in their first game at the TD Garden of the 2010-11 season. The Eagles and Terriers exchanged blows – both figuratively and at times literally – until the top-ranked team from Chestnut Hill got on the board 14:37 into the frame. Defender Philip Samuelsson ripped off a shot from the left point near the halfwall. With both BC’s Patrick Brown and BU’s David Warsofsky in front of Terrier junior netminder Kieran Millan, the shot was tipped past the temporarily blinded goalie.
Unlike the last game between the two teams in which BC jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, it didn’t take long for the Terriers to retort. In fact, just 38 seconds after the Samuelsson tally, BU freshman blue-liner Garrett Noonan spun around in the BC slot, beautifully backhanding a pass to sophomore winger Wade Megan to his right in the process. Megan took the pass and fired past the blocker of BC goalie John Muse to knot the game at one apiece.
BU seemed to gain some confidence from that goal as they were the first to strike in the second. Junior center Corey Trivino gathered a blocked shot by sophomore linemate Ross Gaudet and threw the puck right past an off-guard Muse. That was the Terriers first lead against the Eagles in seven periods, dating back to a 1-0 lead in the Dec. 4 game at Conte Forum.
That score ended up being the only tally of the second period, a frame that was brought to you by the word “No.” Each team had its own share of turned-aside breakouts, but it was Alex Chiasson’s breakaway that gave either side its best chance to score. Chiasson took a pass from freshman linemate Matt Nieto and bolted toward Muse. The team leader in points fired but was turned aside by the netminder, who continued to take matters into his own hands by shoving a crashing Sean Escobedo in the face. The aggression was met with a no-call by both officials.
In the other big no-call from the second, a shot by BC center Pat Mullane led to several rebounds in front of Millan. Sticks from both sides swabbed at the puck as it moved around the crease before a whistle brought an end to the action. BC players began to celebrate as if the puck had indeed crossed the line. Reviews proved inconclusive, and the original call of no goal stood up.
The Eagles finally got their chance to retaliate though in the third. Almost five minutes into the period, a Max Nicastro turnover in BU’s end allowed BC right-winger Jimmy Hayes to gather the puck up front. The Dorchester native took the most of his advantage and placed the game’s equalizer right over Millan’s glove and into the net’s top right corner.
The rest of the third could not have been scripted any better.
BU had a pair of power plays, each lasting nearly the full two minutes, with five minutes to go but the power-play unit, which has been anemic all year, could not strike when the iron was hot. Out of the second power play, Samuelsson burst out of the box, collected the puck at the blue line ahead of him and like Chiasson before him charged toward his opposing goalie. The sophomore defenseman flipped to his backhand five feet outside the crease, but Millan matched his every move and made the sliding save to his left.
BC had its next best chance literally as time expired. A shot from Millan’s left kicked off the netminder right to BC defenseman Brian Dumoulin, who tried to slam home the rebound from the left hash mark. Millan again slid to make the game-saving deflection just as the Garden horn sounded to signal the end of regulation.
Cross got the game-winner at 3:47 in the overtime frame.
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Looks like the pro-Glass people on the team laid down in a game that meant the most to Parker (Beanpot game and against BC).
Message sent and should have been received by Parker.
hahahahaaha laid down by losing in OT? did you see the effort out there tonight? you need to let the glass thing go and find a better way to spend your time
The person who wrote that “the pro-Glass people on the team laid down” is either trying to annoy people or isn’t very smart. BC is clearly the more talented team but the Terriers pushed them to the wall with a great effort. Considering the Terriers’ youth and the progress they have demonstrated as of late, the future looks very bright. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Eagles one more time this season.
I have to hand to the Glass friends on the team – they picked the right game to blow to anger Parker the most.
I’m guessing that Clendening must be one of Glass’ best friends based on his play.
After BC scored in OT, the cameras went to Parker and I seriously thought he was having a heart attack.
Some of you FOG’s (Friends of Glass) and BC fans (or perhaps both) are too funny. Glass got kicked off the team for blaming everyone but himself for his problems and now his supporters are doing the same. Anyone watching this team the last few games knows that they are playing harder. And losing a part-time player who never came close to living up to his potential does not exactly leave a gaping hole on the ice. Maybe you should just stop whining.
Speaking of players who have not come close to reacching his potential, I give you Cory Trivino and Max Nicastro.
How soon will they be booted so we can get better players?
Are you suggesting that Glass is in the same category as Trivino and Nicastro? You are kidding, right?