Terriers Wrest 5-4 Overtime Victory over BC

Behind a career-high 42 saves from sophomore Kieran Millan and a power-play goal by junior Colby Cohenexactly one minute into overtime, the Boston University men’s icehockey team posted a thrilling 5-4 victory over number 10/11 BostonCollege on Friday evening at Conte Forum. Five different Terriersscored goals to lift them past their archrival and improve to 8-10-3overall and 6-8-2 in Hockey East.

BU entered the third period with a 4-2 lead, but the Eaglesstruck back with a goal at the 2:13 mark before knotting the contestwith a power-play tally at 14:28.

The Terriers, however, drew a BC tripping penalty in the finalminute of regulation and put it to good use in the extra session withtheir third power-play tally of the evening. Cohen’s overtime winnercame from the left circle, as the puck went off a BC skate in front ofthe crease and in to give BU its fourth win of the five previous games.

Combined with the Terriers’ 3-2 win over the Eagles January 8at Fenway Park, Friday’s victory allowed BU to claim the Hockey Eastregular-season series against BC in consecutive years for the firsttime since winning it three straight seasons, from 1992 to 1995.

Freshman Parker Milner made 26 saves for the Eagles, who drop to 12-7-2 on the year, with a 9-5-2 conference mark.

Millan posted at least 12 saves in each period to easily surpasshis previous career best of 33 saves, most recently attained in a 3-2win over Michigan October 24.

BU trailed 2-1 late in the first before sophomore Vinny Saponaritallied a goal with 58 seconds left in the period on an impressiveindividual effort. That was the first of three straight Terrier goals — freshman Wade Megan and junior Nick Bonino scored the lone goals of the second period to give the visitors a 4-2 lead.

The teams traded power-play goals to open the scoring, beginning with asnipe at the top of the left circle from the stick of sophomore David Warsofsky on a 2-on-1 rush to give BU a 1-0 lead 6:20 into the contest. Freshman Alex Chiasson set up the goal, which was Warsofsky’s fifth of the season.

BC tied the game just over six minutes with a power-play goal of itsown as Cam Atkinson tallied his team-leading 14th goal of the year, withhelpers going to Ben Smith and Brian Gibbons.

Later in the period — just seconds after another Eagles’ powerplay — the home team took its first lead when Chris Kreider beat Millanat 17:05.

The Terriers regained the lead with three consecutiveunassisted goals, beginning with Saponari’s tally in the final minuteof the first. The right wing corralled an errant BC pass and skated upthe left side before firing a shot that was initially saved by Milner.An elevated rebound allowed Saponari to swing at the puck in mid-airand knock it home just as he reached the left post.

In the second period, the Terriers benefited from unassisted goals by Megan and Bonino to take a 4-2 lead.

Megan stole a puck in the left corner of the BC zone and skatedin alone before roofing the puck over Milner’s left shoulder at 3:27.On a power play with just under three minutes left in the middlestanza, Bonino lost a faceoff, but quickly picked off a pass beforesneaking in and finding the net for his sixth goal of the season.

Kreider kicked off the BC comeback when he added his secondgoal of the game early in the third. Pat Mullane forced overtime withhis power-play marker at 14:28.

Men’s ice hockey falls at home to New Hampshire, 4-1

Just 24 hours after the riveting victory over rival Boston College, the Terriers came up short in theirattempt for a third straight win, dropping a 4-1 contest to number 16 New Hampshire at Agganis Arena on Saturday. The Terriers now stand at 8-11-3on the year, with a 6-9-2 Hockey East record.

Sophomore Damon Kipp scored the eventual game winner and addedan assist for the Wildcats, who improve to 12-7-4 overall, with a 11-2-3conference mark, to remain in first place in the league standings.

Sophomore Mike Borisenok opened the scoring for the visitorsjust over five minutes into the game, senior Bobby Butler added his17th goal of the season, and junior Mike Sislo added a late power-playtally.

UNH, which is now 10-1-2 over its last 13 games, got a 34-save performance by senior goaltender Brian Foster. Sophomore Grant Rollheisermade 28 saves for BU while suffering his first loss in over a year;he had been 4-0-4 in his last 8 decisions, dating back to January 13,2009.

Trailing 3-0 in the third, the Terriers got a power-play goal from sophomore Chris Connolly with 10:51 left in regulation, but could not get another shot past Foster and the UNH defense.

BU returns to action when it hosts Massachusetts at 7 p.m. on Friday, January 29, at Agganis Arena.