MANCHESTER, N.H. - Seniors Wilmer Skoog and Ethan Phillips scored goals and junior Drew Commesso kept Cornell scoreless until the final minute as the No. 5 Boston University men's ice hockey earned a 2-1 victory over the 12th-ranked Big Red in the NCAA Manchester Regional final on Saturday at SNHU Arena.
With the win, BU advances to the Frozen Four for the 23rd time and will making its first national semifinal appearance since 2015.
Skoog broke a scoreless tie early in the second period with a goal at the right crease off a feed from freshman Jeremy Wilmer. Phillips teamed up with classmate Matt Brown for a key insurance goal with 12:34 to play.
Cornell pulled goaltender Ian Shane with 2:36 to play and finally on the board with 29.4 seconds to play but the Terriers held on to become the first team to punch a ticket to Tampa.
The Terriers stretched their win streak to nine games and improved to 28-10-0 on the season. The Big Red closed its season with a record of 21-11-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Neither team broke through in the first period, with the Terriers and the Big Red each recording four shots on goal.
- Skoog got BU on the board just 2:13 into the second stanza. Peterson's puck pursuit led to a turnover, which Wilmer capitalized on by picking up the puck behind the net and quickly dishing to a wide-open Skoog in front for the finish.
- Commesso was terrific in the second stanza, especially during the end of a Cornell power play when he got his body in front of a redirected puck.
- Quinn Hutson nearly doubled the Terriers lead with 5:45 left in the second, but his breakaway bid hit the post.
- Phillips gave BU a crucial insurance goal at 7:27 of the third period. He poked the puck away from a Cornell player at the BU blue line and then got help from Brown, who shuffled it ahead to Phillips, who raced behind the Big Red defense. Phillips' first shot was turned aside by Ian Shane, but Phillips hammered home the rebound for his fourth goal of the season.
- Cornell pulled Shane in favor of an extra attacker and finally got on the board when a shot by Dalton Bancroft deflected in with 29.4 seconds to play.
- The Terriers withstood a final push in the closing seconds to secure the victory.
GAME NOTES
- Jay Pandolfo became the second BU coach to lead the Terriers to the national semifinals in his first season at the helm, joining Jack Parker.
- Commesso stopped 13 of 14 shots and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the regional.
- Commesso was joined on the All-Regional Team by Phillips, Skoog, Lane Hutson and Domenick Fensore.
- Phillips led all players with four points (2g, 2a) in the regional.
- The Terriers held a 21-14 advantage in shots.
- BU had 21 blocked shots to Cornell's six with sophomore Ty Gallagher and junior Cade Webber leading the way with four apiece.
- Each team went 0-for-3 on the power play.
UP NEXT
The Terriers will face the winner of the Minnesota/St. Cloud State regional final in the Frozen Four on Thursday, April 6.
