Terriers Comeback, Drop Vermont In OT

Tonight, BU proved they still have the capability to come back and win games like they did at the beginning of the year.

Vermont took it to the Terriers in the first, scoring two goals before BU realized the game started. Conor Brickley converted off a BU turnover deep in their own end. Brickley beat Kieran Millan five hole, making it 1-0 less than five minutes into the game.

BU could not make a tape to tape pass all period and nothing was going right at this point. Millan looked shaky for the most of the first period. Any shot to the glove side was not a clean save. Even if Millan was on top of his game, he still would have had no shot at stoping the second Catamount goal. Nick Bruneteau set up Sebastian Stålberg from behind the net. Stålberg banged home the back door play to give Vermont a two goal lead.

After a terrible first period of hockey, BU really picked it up in the second and shut down Vermont, holding them to just three shots. The Terriers finally got on the board on a two on two rush midway through the frame. Wade Megan came flying up the left boards inside the UVM zone. There, he dished across to Sahir Gill, who tipped the pass by Vermont goalie Rob Madore and into the back of the net.

BU nearly tied later in the period. Matt Nieto lead a two on one rush into the UVM zone. At the top of the dot he ripped a shot off the post, cleanly beating Madore. Alex Chiasson and Chris Connolly were both there for the rebound and of them put the puck in. From where I was sitting, I could not tell who actually put the puck in the net. I thought it was Chiasson, but it would not matter because after a lengthy review, the goal was called off. The puck must have been kicked in. It's the only thing I can think of that would caused the goal to be disallowed.

The third period saw the game really open up. Both teams traded chances and both Madore and Millan kept their respective teams in the game.

After up and down action at both ends, BU pulled Millan with 1:41 left. With just 1:25 remaining in the game, Wade Megan picked up a rebound and snuck it into the goal, tying the game. The goal came out of huge scrum in front of the net. Three Terriers were there, Megan just got the last touch.

Before the game went to overtime, Sahir Gill hit the post with about 30 second left.

In overtime, it was freshman defenseman Alexx Privitera, playing in just his second game back from a broken wrist, who won the game for the Terriers. Alex Chiasson passed to Matt Nieto in the far corner. Nieto one-touched the pass to the point where Privitera was stationed. Privitera received the pass, squared up to the net, and let a slapper go. The shot tipped of Vermont's HT Lenz's stick, past Madore and into the net. It was Privitera's fourth goal of the year from Nieto and Chiasson at 3:02 of overtime.

With the win and Merrimack's tie with Lowell, BU has now clinched home ice in the Hockey East Quarterfinals.

Next weekend, the Terriers close out the regular season with a home and home series vs Northeastern.