MANCHESTER, N.H. — Boston University, the top-seeded team in the NCAA tournament, used its superior talent to pound opponents into submission this season.
Last night, it wasn't their talent, it was a fortuitous bounce that put the Terriers in their first Frozen Four since 1997.
With just 46 seconds left in the game, UNH's James van Riemsdyk was called for a hooking penalty that gave BU a power play. With 13.4 ticks left on the clock, Jason Lawrence tried to slide a pass to teammate Colin Wilson, who was waiting for the backdoor one-timer.
Instead, the puck deflected off a diving Jerry Pollastrone, who was attempting to block the pass, and leapt into the net.
It was a heartbreaking contrast for UNH. The Wildcats had luck on their side with an amazing overtime win Saturday, when they forced OT on a goal with a tenth of a second left in regulation.
"We were on the power play and I kind of hesitated on the pass because the defenseman went down," said BU's Lawrence. "So because he went down, I tried to go around him. At first I didn't know what happened, and then I turned and saw it in the back of the net."
It was a different type of win for the Terriers, who got the job done with old-fashioned grit. It wasn't something they had to do often this season.
"To win games at this time of year, that's what you have to do," said defenseman Matt Gilroy. "It did feel like a different type of win for us. But it's March, almost April, and there aren't a lot of teams left playing. So to continue, the coaches told us all along, 'You have to really grit it out and grind.' It is a grind this time of year."
The grind-it-out mentality starts in the crease with goaltender Kieran Millan who is now 27-2-3 on the year. And he's only a freshman.
"He has been unbelievable," Gilroy said of his rookie netminder. "He's just so calm. There are so many times that there is a flurry in front or some play gets out of control and I expect him to be a little frazzled and he just sits back and is so calm. It's almost scary sometimes.
"I've never played with a goalie as calm as he is. That calmness really spreads throughout the boys, too. If we're scrambling in front but look at our goalie, who hasn't played a full season of college hockey yet, and it doesn't seem to bother him, then it can't bother us."
Up front, there is no better attack in the nation.
The Terriers boast four 40-point scorers and 12 NHL draft picks, which is nearly unheard of. BU has scored a whopping 168 goals in 43 games.
BU's talent shined brightest on the power play. With Colin Wilson — the first 50-point scorer at the school since New York Rangers star Chris Drury — leading the charge, the power play has been deadly.
But UNH squashed BU all night with the man advantage. The Terriers' game-winner was just the second shot they had on the power play, and even that was supposed to be a pass.
The game-winning tally wasn't what the Terriers had drawn up, but they'll take it.
"We're allowed to be creative out there on the power play," Gilroy said. "We want to move the puck and create chances and that's how Jason's goal came about. We were moving the puck and I think their killers may have been scrambling a bit and Jay hesitated for a split second before he tried to hit Colin (Wilson) with a pass on the back door.
"That hesitation is probably the reason the puck went in. But that goal came about because we were allowed to be creative on the power play from our coaches and we moved the puck. It's also that grind because UNH was doing a real good job clearing pucks on our power play so we weren't getting much going until then."
The goal sends Gilroy, who walked-on as a freshman forward and went on to become an All-American defenseman, to at least one more collegiate game.
Gilroy passed on a number of NHL offers last season to return to BU.
"I've been waiting for this since I was a freshman," he said with a grin. "There is still plenty of hockey left. We know we have a job to do."
Mike McMahon is an Eagle-Tribune sportswriter. E-mail him at mmcmahon@eagletribune.com
St. Joseph's vs. Massachusetts Highlights - 2/11
Penn vs. Dartmouth Highlights - 2/11
Drexel vs. Hofstra Highlights - 2/11
La Salle vs. St. Louis Highlights - 2/11
John Wall talks about the loss to the Heat-2/10
Collins takes the blame for the Sixers' final possession
Sixers vs. Clippers highlights
Sixers defensive effort not enough vs. Clippers
Post game plus crew on the Sixers loss
Rose and Zumoff recap the Sixers last second loss
Penn vs. Harvard highlights
Stefon Diggs chooses Maryland, Randy Edsall comments-2/10
Cal Ripken says the Orioles will go as far as their pitching-2/10
Sandusky makes a statement
Collegiate Corner: Philly College Hoops - 2/9
Ovechkin: "I don't think we deserved to lose today."
Brayden Schenn scores a goal against his brother Luke
What is ailing the Flyers?
Briere on facing the Maple Leafs
Flyers on Bobrovsky starting and work ethic
Julien: 'did it the hard way'
McAdam's Spring Training primer
Doc: Team's effort is 'un-Celtic'
Pierce stresses mental toughness
Globe 10.0 Who was the best free agent in Boston?
Maria Menounos dons a Giants-colored bikini after losing Super Bowl bet-2/7
Thomas' moratorium: 'I'm out, peace'
Gasol: 'Not pleasant' being part of trade rumor
Blakely: Gasol-for-Rondo trade unlikely
Brady-ing is Latest Internet Meme
Globe 10.0: Is Paul Pierce the Celtics greatest scorer?
Ranking Pierce among Celtics greats
Garnett's tale of first meeting Paul Pierce
Pierce's loyalty touted after big night
Hurt Locker: Patriots react to Super Bowl loss
Brown: 'Eli Manning is better than Tom Brady'
Local fans crushed by Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLVI
Marcus Johansson Caps lone goal in loss to Bruins-2/5
Matt Hendricks throws down with the Bruins' Adam McQuaid--2/5
Vinatieri, Law, Brown recount Super Bowl XXXVI
