The hallmark of this year’s NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship was late goals deciding tight games, and the title game was no different. The Boston University Terriers claimed the national title, their all-time fifth, after tying the game in the final minute of regulation and winning in overtime.
Boston University got on the board first, as Chris Connolly collected a rebound in the crease and knocked the puck past the Miami University (Ohio) RedHawks’ rookie goaltender, Cody Reichard, in the opening period. With several quality goal chances, Miami set the pace through the second. After killing off a BU power play, RedHawks winger Gary Steffes took advantage of a scrum in front of the net and scored a goal to tie the game.
A pair of Miami goals by Tommy Wingels and Trent Vogelhuber put the RedHawks up 3-1 and in firm control of the game, for what appeared to be a national championship. Unwilling to give in, the Terriers pulled freshman goalie Kieran Millan for the extra attacker to make every effort at tying the game. It was a daring, necessary gamble to fight for the title, and it paid off for BU. With 59 seconds remaining, Zach Cohen fired a low-angle shot at the net that bounced between Reichard and the left post to draw the score to 3-2. To cap the comeback, Matt Gilroy—this year’s Hobey Baker Award-winner for being the most outstanding player in college hockey—faked out a defender and fed a pass to Nick Bonino, who rifled a shot into the net.
The comeback and chance at winning the game in overtime seemed to breathe new life into the Terriers, who outshot Miami 9-4 in overtime. The game-winner came off the stick of Colby Cohen, as he took a shot at the net from the left circle that bounced off the helmet of a Miami defender and over Reichard into the net, sending BU’s bench and fans into celebration.
The RedHawks beat the Bemidji State University Beavers in their semifinal matchup by a score of 4-1. Though the Beavers came in as the Cinderella story of the college hockey postseason, they fell short in the Frozen Four against a tight Miami defense. Wingels contributed a pair of goals in a game where the tough Miami team outplayed the Beavers and prevented them from gaining much momentum.
BU advanced to the title match from a tight game with the University of Vermont Catamounts, one of its familiar rivals. This time, down 4-3 with seven minutes remaining, Chris Higgins and Colin Wilson scored two goals in quick succession to grab the lead for BU. Wilson, Bonino, and Millan were named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team along with C. Cohen, who was named Most Outstanding Player in recognition of his overtime winning goal.
