Final, BU 5-3: And it’ll be an all Hockey East final.
Eichel’s last-second goal helped give BU a 5-3 win, and they’ll take on Providence on Saturday in the championship game. It’s just the third time the title game has featured two Hockey East teams, with the last time coming in 1999 when UNH beat Maine in an overtime thriller.
Third period 19:42, BU 5-3: That should probably do it.
Eichel gets a much-needed empty-netter for the Terriers.
Third period 18:27, BU 4-3: It’s getting chippy on the ice.
UND captain Stephane Pattyn and BU’s Evan Rodrigues both go to the box for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Third period 16:17, BU 4-3: Gaarder scores a power-play goal, as Oksanen was in the box after BU had too many men on the ice. The Terriers now lead by only one with just under four minutes to go.
Third period 12:10, BU 4-2: Being shorthanded didn’t bother UND one bit.
O’Connor misplayed the puck behind the net, and Troy Stecher made him pay.
Third period 11:44, BU 4-1: Nick Schmaltz goes to the box for interference and North Dakota will be shorthanded for two minutes.
Third period 10:41, BU 4-1: O’Connor just robbed Jordan Schmaltz of a goal with a nice glove save. The Terriers haven’t been as aggressive on offense, and O’Connor has been a wall.
Third period 4:00, BU 4-1: To say North Dakota is on a mission would be an understatement. UND has spent most of the first four minutes of this period in BU’s zone.
Third period 0:01, BU 4-1: The final period is underway. North Dakota has 20 minutes to try to rebound.
Second intermission, BU 4-1: The Garden went wild after the Terriers finished off another two-goal period.
BU actually started off pretty slow, and North Dakota put a power play goal on the board just 44 seconds into the middle frame. But thanks to some clutch saves by O’Connor while his team was lagging, BU was able to pick themselves up and lay it back on North Dakota.
Second period 17:01, BU 4-1: North Dakota is successful on the penalty kill, and we’re back at even strength.
Second period 15:01, BU 4-1: UND center Connor Gaarder heads to the box for tripping, and the Terriers get another two minutes with the man advantage.
Second period 13:10, BU 4-1: After a quick review, Doyle Somerby puts the Terriers on the board. Again.
Not a bad time for Somerby’s first goal of the season.
Second period 11:20, BU 3-1: A.J. Greer just gave BU some much needed insurance. Eichel and Brien Diffley added assists on the goal, which Greer scored from behind the right faceoff circle.
Second period 8:43, BU 2-1: The Terriers successfully kill off another penalty.
Second period 6:43, BU 2-1: O’Connor just made another nice stop for BU. This period has been all North Dakota, and the Terriers goalie has done a good job bailing them out.
Hickey also picked up a two minute penalty for cross-checking, and UND will go on the power play.
Second period 0:44, BU 2-1: North Dakota came back with a vengeance. Luke Johnson put UND on the board with help from Tucker Poolman and Jordan Schmaltz.
Second period 0:01, BU 2-0: The second period is underway.
First intermission, BU 2-0: North Dakota woke up after a slow start to the period, but BU’s offense still put on a show. The Terriers scored both of their goals on the power play.
North Dakota will start the middle frame with 1:27 left on the man advantage, however, as Matt Grzelcyk received two minutes for tripping with 33 seconds left in the first.
First period 19:12, BU 2-0: Looks like Hickey is OK now.
The defenseman put the puck past McIntyre, and the Terriers have a two-goal lead. Cason Hohmann and Robbie Baillargeon tallied assists.
First period 17:51, BU 1-0: BU defenseman Brandon Hickey took a hard hit and went down, but he was able to shake it off and skate off the ice.
Tucker Poolman took the boarding penalty, and the Terriers once again have the man advantage.
First period 16:20, BU 1-0: The Terriers kill off the penalty, and we’re back to even strength.
First period 14:20, BU 1-0: Eichel gets two minutes for hooking, and UND goes on its first power play.
First period 13:04, BU 1-0: North Dakota gets its best chance yet, but Matt O’Connor stops the shot to keep BU ahead.
First period 12:33, BU 1-0: BU has been controlling the opening period. North Dakota is being aggressive, but so far, the Terriers have been too fast for them.
First period 4:59, BU 1-0: Well, that was quick. The Terriers get on the board thanks to none other than Jack Eichel. Danny O’Regan and Ahti Oksanen added helpers on the power-play goal.
First period 4:00, 0-0: Luke Johnson gets two minutes for tripping, and BU is on the power play.
First period 0:01, 0-0: Jack Eichel wins the opening faceoff from UND’s Luke Johnson, and we’re underway.
The Terriers have trotted out Evan Rodrigues, Eichel and Danny O’Regan in front of Matt Grzelcyk, John MacLeod and goaltender Matt O’Connor, while North Dakota has Drake Caggiula, Johnson and Michael Parks, with Nick Mattson and Paul LaDue on defense for netminder and Boston Bruins prospect Zane McIntyre.
7:55 p.m.: The countdown begins.
Providence finished off Nebraska-Omaha with a 4-1 win moments ago to advance to the final. And in about 40 minutes, BU and North Dakota will be facing off for a chance to take on the Friars.
Here are tonight’s line pairings:
[tweet https://twitter.com/TerrierHockey/status/586280828226908160 align=’center’]
[tweet https://twitter.com/UNDmhockey/status/586309837212033024 align=’center’]
6:30 p.m.: It’s not very often you get a Frozen Four matchup like the one between Boston University and North Dakota.
North Dakota and BU represent two of the best college hockey programs in the country and were ranked second and third in the tournament, respectively. It won’t be surprising if the winner of this semifinal game at TD Garden on Thursday skates away as the national champ come Saturday.
The Terriers already have won two tournaments on the Garden ice this year, as they were victorious in both the Beanpot and the Hockey East championships. But BU isn’t buying into the idea it has home ice advantage, and North Dakota will do everything in its power to make sure it doesn’t.
North Dakota dominated its way through the first and second rounds of the men’s tournament, taking 4-1 wins over both Quinnipiac and St. Cloud State. It also has a little extra motivation in the fact that it hasn’t won the NCAA tournament since 2000, while the Terriers last won in 2009.
The key matchup in this game will be between BU freshman phenom Jack Eichel and North Dakota goaltender Zane McIntyre, who both are up for this year’s Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey.
Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. Keep it here at NESN.com for live updates.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
