After staking a 1-0 lead in the first, BC came from behind to lead 2-1 but then allowed BU to tie the game before the first intermission. BU promptly took a 3-2 lead in the second and scored a third unanswered goal to go up 4-2 before BC staged a big third-period comeback to send this one into overtime.
Scoring for the Terriers were David Warsofsky, Nick Bonino, Wade Megan, Vinny Saponari and Cohen. BC got goals from Chris Kreider (2), Cam Atkinson and Pat Mullane.
Final, BU 5-4 (OT): Colby Cohen redirects the puck past Parker Milner and that's the game.
It deflects off the BC defenseman's skate — ouch. Tough way to end the night for Milner.
End of third period, 4-4: We're headed for overtime.
This has been as good of a college hockey game as you can imagine — lots of offense, lots of (deceptively) good goaltending, lots of intensity.
BU hasn't lost a league game in OT in three years. Food for thought.
Freshman Parker Milner has 26 saves this evening.
This one starts with a 4-on-3 in BU's favor, as about 1:20 of the power play remains.
Third period, 38.4 seconds, 4-4: BU will end regulation and possibly begin OT with a power play. Cam Atkinson is in the box for tripping.
BU has seemed to be at its best on the man advantage tonight, so we'll see if the Terriers can make something happen to close this one out. They're 2-for-6 with 10 shots.
Third period, 3:48, 4-4: Brian Gibbons makes a steal near the blue line and sends one off the crossbar on a one-on-one against Kieran Millan.
Third period, 5:32, 4-4: Steven Whitney bats one into the net in a play very similar to the one Vinny Saponari executed in the first period. The goal is immediately waved off.
And just a minute later, Pat Mullane makes up for it, as Paul Carey puts the puck in front of the net before Mullane corrals it and ties the game at 4.
Shortly thereafter, Kieran Millan makes his 40th save of the night. That's good for a career high.
Third period, 7:13, BU 4-3: BC earns the first power play of the third period, as Eric Gryba heads into the box for the third time tonight — this time for cross-checking.
It's BC's fifth power play of the game. The Eagles are 1-for-5.
Third period, 10:05, BU 4-3: Another 10 minutes without a penalty!
Third period, 10:52, BU 4-3: There have been 66 shots on goal tonight, so this one has been entertaining, to say the least. The intensity has certainly been ramped up this period, as both squads are skating end to end and firing shots on net with abandon. BC looks just about as aggressive as it did in the first period, so whatever was happening to the Eagles in the second period — they solved it.
We'll see if the Terriers can hold on to the lead.
Third period, 15:50, BU 4-3: Parker Milner makes one of his best saves of the game. A lazy pass by Philip Samuelsson leads to a turnover and Milner makes a stop on a one-on-one with Nick Bonino.
Third period, 17:47, BU 4-3: Jimmy Hayes wins a big physical battle and fights for the puck against the boards, then throws it to the net for Chris Kreider, who touches it in as he's pushed into the crease. It's Kreider's second goal of the game.
The refs review it to make sure Kreider was pushed into the crease, and the goal stands.
This one is beginning to look reminiscent of the Fenway game, when BC fought back with some much-needed offense in the third period. Back then, BC couldn't narrow the one-goal deficit in the end. We'll see what happens tonight.
Third period, 19:29, BU 4-2: We're underway in the third, and BU goaltender Kieran Millan has made 30 saves thus far.
BC kills off the remaining 15 seconds of the power play.
End of second period, BU 4-2: The second period was a great one for the Terriers and a pretty demoralizing one for the Eagles.
The Eagles, after coming from behind to take a 2-1 lead in the first, let the Terriers crawl back into things at the end of the period, and BU promptly took the lead less than four minutes into the second frame on a Wade Megan goal. The Terriers extended the lead to 4-2 on a power play with less than three minutes left.
After zero penalties through the first 10 minutes of the frame, there were five in the final 10 minutes. BU is 2-for-5 on the man advantage thus far and has gotten off nine shots.
The Terriers have now scored three unanswered goals and BC's four-man blue line seems to be showing some fatigue. Is there still time for the Eagles to rediscover the intensity they brought to the first period?
Second period, 1:34, BU 4-2: Right after the power play ends, the Terriers get another one as Philip Samuelsson is whistled for holding.
BC's defense is really struggling to keep up this period.
Second period, 2:59, BU 4-2: We've got another penalty on the Eagles. Malcolm Lyles sends Joe Pereira flying awkwardly into the boards and it's an automatic whistle.
Almost immediately, Nick Bonino jumps on the puck after the faceoff and sends it past Parker Milner on the backhand. BC clearly was off-balance and had no idea where the puck was.
Bonino had four assists last Saturday against Merrimack and just scored his 40th career goal.
Second period, 5:03, BU 3-2: It's one of BC's better-looking power plays tonight — the Eagles kept the puck in the offensive zone and kept pressuring Kieran Millan — but it was one of Millan's better stretches, too, and the power play ends without event.
Second period, 7:06, BU 3-2: Another penalty, this time on the Terriers. Barry Almeida drives to the net and as he sends a shot wide left, he is slashed by Colby Cohen.
BC is 1-for-3 on the man advantage.
Second period, 7:34, BU 3-2: BC is out-shooting BU 26-17 right now, but BU still holds that lead.
We're back to full-strength now.
Second period, 9:30, BU 3-2: Jinx! There's a pileup in back of the BU net. Joe Whitney starts things off by shoving Alex Chiasson with the end of his stick and Eric Gryba immediately jumps right in on him. Whitney and Gryba head to the box and it's time for some 4-on-4 action.
Second period, 10:02, BU 3-2: Just had to point out that it's been 10 minutes without a penalty. Glorious.
Second period, 12:18, BU 3-2: Brian Gibbons takes the puck right to the doorstep after taking a centering pass from Cam Atkison and Kieran Millan makes another brilliant stop.
After a shaky first half of the first period, Millan has been showing far more confidence over the past 20 minutes.
Second period, 14:09, BU 3-2: It's only been six minutes, but BU is dominating offensively this period. The Terriers have now scored two unanswered goals and almost got their fourth of the night just now, but Parker Milner made a huge save with his knees to maintain BC's one-goal deficit. Afterward, there was a scrum for the puck and the net was open for a few seconds, but fortunately for BC, the only players in the crease were wearing Eagles uniforms.
Second period, 16:33, BU 3-2: Wade Megan makes it look too easy. He easily snags a turnover in front of the goal and flips a backhand over Parker Milner's shoulder.
It's worth pointing out that BC is essentially juggling just four defensemen tonight due to injury, so could fatigue be a factor as this one progresses?
The freshman notched the game-winning goal at Fenway two weeks ago.
Second period, 18:30, 2-2: Parker Milner combats some pressure in the middle of this power play, making a save and then batting away the rebound.
Barry Almeida ends the power play with a two-on-one with Jimmy Hayes, but Kieran Millan makes a nice save.
Second period, 19:52, 2-2: We're underway in the second period, and BU has about 1:30 left on the power play.
End of first period, 2-2: This is definitely a rivalry game.
BU's David Warsofsky struck first with 13 minutes left in the frame before BC stormed back to score once on the man advantage and then again full-strength to take a 2-1 lead. But with less than a minute left in the period, BU's Vinny Saponari evened the score, so we're right back where we started.
There were seven penalties in that frame, and each team notched one power-play goal and one even-strength goal.
Both teams are coming out aggressive and hungry — we'll see if they can reel it in for the second frame.
First period, 17.9 seconds, 2-2: Cam Atkinson is whistled for boarding. The emotions are starting to run high in this one.
First period, 58.3 seconds, 2-2: And just like that, BU ties the game. Vinny Saponari takes a shoulder-high puck and pops it right off the top post and into the net.
The refs review it to find out if it was a high stick, but the goal stands. It's Saponari's fifth this year.
First period, 1:45, BC 2-1: BC has really amped up the intensity in the second half of this period. Prior to the Eagles' first goal, they were being out-shot 8-4. Now, they are out-shooting the Terriers 9-8.
First period, 2:40, BC 2-1: Chris Kreider scores for the third time this year as the seconds ticking off the end of the power play. He's camped out in front of the net, takes a feed from the right circle, pulls the puck to his forehand and scores.
And just like that, BC takes the lead.
First period, 5:15, 1-1: Kieran Millan makes a couple of great saves, as the puck is loose in the crease and Joe Whitney hacks away at it.
And lo and behold, there's a whistle — but it's not goalie interference. Eric Gryba, the all-time penalty minutes leader in BU history, is sent to the box for interference against Pat Mullane.
First period, 7:20, 1-1: Cam Atkinson takes a perfect feed from Ben Smith and hammers it across the crease and past Kieran Millan.
It's Atkinson's 14th goal of the season and his 11th in the last 13 games.
First period, 8:33, BU 1-0: Cam Atkinson snags the puck and flies up the ice with a short-handed opportunity and just barely misses to the left of the net.
Alex Chiasson is whistled for slashing right after the play. There are seven seconds remaining on the BU power play.
First period, 10:31, BU 1-0: After the power play is killed off, Cam Atkinson sets up in the left circle and fires on net but misses wide right.
And almost immediately, there's another whistle — this time, Barry Almeida is in the box for interference.
This is BC's third penalty already.
First period, 13:06, BU 1-0: BC now gets the power-play opportunity, as Sean Escobedo is whistled for hooking.
First period, 13:24, BU 1-0: Parker Milner makes a nice glove save on a bid from the boards. He already has five saves in this one.
And very quickly thereafter, BU strikes first during a bad line change by BC. There's a turnover at the blue line and David Warsofsky takes a perfect pass on the left side and sending a one-timer right past a shell-shocked Milner.
First period, 15:09: Right as the first penalty comes to an end, the Terriers go right back on the man advantage. Matt Price heads to the box this time.
BU looked very aggressive for those two minutes, putting consistent pressure on Parker Milner and the Eagles' defense. This unit looks much, much stronger than it did last week against Providence, when it struggled through eight PP opportunities.
First period, 15:48: Alex Chiasson is just about as close as you can get to scoring without actually getting the job done. A BC turnover near the blue line leads to an opportunity for an off-balance Chiasson, who dangled the puck on net only to be saved by Milner, who just barely deflects it off his leg pad.
First period, 17:18: BU will get the first power-play opportunity, as Steven Whitney — younger brother of Joe Whitney — is in the box for interference.
Still, BC begins the power play with a 3-on-2 opportunity.
BU's power play is performing with a 19 percent success rate.
7:35 p.m.: It's Parker Milner in net in lieu of John Muse for the Eagles this evening. Strange.
It's Milner's first-ever start against BU.
7:29 p.m.: Just a couple of notes before the puck drops:
–BC has lost just once at Conte Forum this season and has lost five times on the road.
—Cam Atkinson, who has recorded 16 points in 20 games for the Eagles, was this week's Hockey East Player of the Week.
–BU has won four of the last five meetings between the two.
4:25 p.m.: It's rematch time.
At a little after 7:30 p.m., one of the best rivalries in college sports takes the forefront as Boston University travels down Comm. Ave. to take on its nemesis, Boston College. The last time these two teams met a couple of weeks ago, it was out on the ice at Fenway Park and BU walked away with a pretty resounding 3-2 victory. It took BC until the final period to really put up any sort of fight, and by then, it was too late.
Since then, though, the Eagles have reeled off two straight wins — a 4-1 defeat of Providence and a 6-1 defeat of Maine. BC now sits in second place in Hockey East standings, one point behind New Hampshire.
And just when it looked like the Terriers were figuring things out, they ran into a road block at Providence last Friday. BU, tied for seventh in Hockey East with 12 points, struggled against the Friars, dropping a 3-1 decision. Fortunately, they rebounded quickly with a 6-4 win over Merrimack at home the following evening.
Will the Terriers get back on their feet and continue with their famed second-half resurgence? Or will the Eagles get revenge for the Frozen Fenway disaster?
Puck drops just after 7:30, so check back for updates.
