BOSTON, Mass. - Despite facing a 3-0 deficit after one period, the No. 18 Boston University men's ice hockey team rallied all the way back to pull off a thrilling 4-3 victory against No. 3 Providence at Agganis Arena on Friday evening.
Sophomore Danny O'Regan scored the game-tying and game-winning goals with the latter coming 5:38 into the third period. Fellow sophomores Sam Kurker and Matt Lane each added a goal for the Terriers, who improve to 4-3-0 overall and 2-0-0 in Hockey East play.
BU handed the Friars their first loss of the season, as the visitors moved to 4-1-1 on the year with a 0-1-0 conference mark.
The Terriers answered PC's three-goal first with three goals of their own in the second. The game winner came at 5:38 of the third when O'Regan poked in a loose puck at the left post after freshman Robbie Baillargeon's try at the top of the crease was stopped.
Sophomore goaltender Matt O'Connor turned in a 34-save performance for the Terriers, as he stopped the final 22 shots he faced to allow the home team to erase the deficit.
Providence opened the scoring midway through the first period with a shorthanded goals then tacked on two more goals before the period was over to hand the Terriers their first three-goal deficit of the season.
Kurker got BU on the board at 6:07 of the second to start the rally. He knocked a loose puck at the top of the crease through PC netminder Jon Gillies' legs and into the goal on assists from Lane and freshman Nick Roberto.
Less than three minutes later with the Terriers skating on a power play, Lane took a pass from sophomore Ahti Oksanen and roofed a shot while positioned underneath the right circle to make it a one-goal game. Senior Garrett Noonan also picked up an assist on the play.
The game-tying goal came on a give-and-go rush with O'Regan and freshman Robbie Baillargeon. After taking a pass from sophomore Matt Grzelcyk, O'Regan found Baillargeon up the right side.
Baillargeon saw O'Regan streaking up the slot and gave the puck back to him in time for him to tip it over Gillies with just 1:32 left in the middle stanza.
Gillies made 21 saves for the Friars. BU committed just two penalties - both in the first period - while Providence was whistled for five penalties on the night.
Friday's result marked the first time BU won a game after facing a 3-0 deficit since a 5-4 overtime victory against Massachusetts on Oct. 29, 2011, at Agganis Arena.
The two teams will be back in action Saturday (Nov.2) at Schneider Arena to wrap up the home-and-home weekend. Game time in Providence is set for 8 p.m.