SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The No. 2 Boston University men's ice hockey team had its season come to an end in the national semifinals as No. 3 Denver posted a 2-1 overtime victory at the NCAA Frozen Four on Thursday evening at Xcel Energy Center.
Denver's Tristan Broz scored from the top of the right circle at 11:09 of overtime to end the contest.
BU's power play never took the ice in the 79:09 of play but the Terriers' penalty kill was a perfect 4-for-4 in the game.
Senior Luke Tuch opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 7:45 in on the first power play of the contest. The Terriers had chances to double their lead but the Pioneers got an equalizer with 4:39 left in the second.
BU netminder Mathieu Caron came up with two heartstopping saves, one in the closing seconds of the middle period and another right after a DU power play ended midway through the third.
The Terriers nearly took a late lead in regulation when a shot by freshman Jack Harvey clanged off the right post but the game went to overtime.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Terriers nearly scored in the opening minute of play as freshman Macklin Celebrini was alone in the slot off a give-and-go with classmate Shane Lachance but his attempt was stopped by Denver goaltender Matt Davis.
- BU found itself on the penalty kill just under six minutes into the game but turned it into an early lead with a shorthanded goal by Tuch.
- Tuch took advantage of a Denver miscue at the right point off a BU clearing attempt and took the puck up the left side before cutting in and beating Davis shortside at the 7:45 mark.
- BU had a 10-3 shot advantage in the opening frame and threatened to add to its lead before settling for a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
- The entire second period was played 5-on-5 and the Pioneers took advantage of a BU turnover behind its own net to even the score.
- Miko Matikka collected the puck behind the goal and found Tristan Lemyre, who crashed the net at the left crease and knocked it in to make it 1-1 with 4:39 left in the second.
- The first of Caron's remarkable stops came in the final minute of the second as he lunged to his right before finding a way to glove Aidan Thompson's wide-open bid on the other side of the crease.
- The third period was evenly played at 5-on-5 but the Pioneers were given three more chances on the power play in the stanza, forcing BU's penalty to come up big time and time again.
- Right as a power play expired, Caron made another highlight-reel stop when he denied Jack Caruso at the foot of the slot with a diving save midway through the third.
- BU was able to put nine shots on goal in the 11-plus minutes of overtime but the Pioneers scored on their sixth shot of the extra session.
- Broz received a pass at the top of the Denver zone and skated through the neutral zone before approaching the right circle and burying a shot between Caron's pads for the winner.
GAME NOTES
- Sophomore Devin Kaplan assisted on Tuch's goal.
- BU held a 34-29 shot advantage as Caron stopped 27 Denver shots and the Pioneers got a 33-save performance from Davis.
- Each team blocked 17 shots with BU senior Cade Webber and Denver's Zeev Bulum leading the way with four each.
- The Terriers made their 24th appearance in the national semifinals.
