(Photo Credit: Mitchell Layton)
FINAL SCORE: #1 Boston University 5, #3 Vermont 4 | Box Score | Photo Gallery | Kevin Sneddon Postgame | Student-Athletes Postgame

WASHINGTON - No. 1 Boston University overcame a 4-3 deficit with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation to defeat No. 3 Vermont, 5-4, at the Frozen Four in front of a sellout crowd of 18,427 at the Verizon Center on Thursday night. Hobey Baker finalist Colin Wilson scored the game winner with 5:41 left in regulation, to send BU to its 10th national championship game in program history. The Terriers (34-6-4) will face No. 4 Miami on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the NCAA title game while the Catamounts end their season at 22-12-5.

Vermont freshman Drew MacKenzie (New Canaan, Conn.) scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the point with 10:20 remaining to give the Catamounts a 4-3 advantage.

However, BU responded with two goals in a span of 1:13 to earn a spot in the title game for the first time since losing in the national championship to North Dakota in 1997. Senior Chris Higgins tied the game with 6:54 left before Wilson notched the winner moments later to give BU a shot at its fifth NCAA title on Saturday.

“Obviously tough to put into words the emotions that are going on in our locker room right now and with the student-athletes, with myself, with our staff and with the fans of Vermont,” Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon said. “You know, we had a taste of it toward the end of the game there and unfortunately it slipped through our hands.”

“This certainly stings a little bit, but as I told them in the locker room, they’ll be able to look back at this moment in time for the rest of their lives as a very positive experience, and one that they know full well they left it all out there on the ice.”

“I thought it was a fabulous college hockey game,” BU coach Jack Parker said. “The emotional swings, the tide turning one way or the other. It was a real solid effort on my club’s part. A real character-building game because it was such a test, you know, we’re supposed to be the team that’s supposed to win this. We knew it was going to be a Hockey East team in the final, and I’m happy and I’m fortunate and I’m really gratified that we have the team that’s in the final.”

Vermont sophomores Josh Burrows (Prairie Grove, Ill.) and Justin Milo (Edina, Minn.) each finished with a goal and an assist as did MacKenzie. Sophomore Wahsontiio Stacey (Kahnawake, Que.) added a goal and freshman goaltender Rob Madore (Venetia, Pa.) finished with 23 saves.

Higgins led the way for the Terriers with a goal and three assists. Wilson recorded a pair of goals and an assist while senior Jason Lawrence added his team-high 24th goal of the season. Freshman Vinny Saponari notched a power-play goal.

After failing to convert on the game’s first power play opportunity, Vermont fell behind 1-0 midway through the first period. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk sparked the play from just inside the left point when he sent a cross-ice pass that Wilson deflected from the low slot just inside the left post past Madore to stake the Terriers to the lead at 11:19.

The Catamounts nearly tied the game less than four minutes later. With the teams skating 4 on 4, junior Brian Roloff (West Seneca, N.Y.) streaked along the right sideboards getting behind the Terriers defense. Roloff closed in on BU goalie Kieran Milan (23 saves) but was denied when he tried to go top shelf.

BU extended the lead to 2-0 at 16:27 of the opening period. Executing a give-and-go to textbook perfection, Lawrence fed Higgins near the top of the left circle and then crashed to the net. Higgins slid the puck back to Lawrence who roofed it by Madore glove side.

“We got in a hole right off the bat,” Sneddon said. “We didn’t play well in the first period. Our defensemen didn’t move the puck very well. We had a lot of turnovers at the offensive blue line and they were a much stronger team out of the gate.”

Continuing to surge, BU came inches away from taking a commanding 3-0 lead just 3:20 into the second period. After corralling a cross-ice feed, sophomore Nick Bonino snapped off a quick wrister at the bottom of the left circle that clanked off the left post. The officials would review the play but the call on the ice stood.

Displaying a calculated sense of urgency, Vermont fought back just 30 seconds later to cut the deficit to 2-1. Stacey took advantage of a self-inflicted screen by Terriers defenseman Colby Cohen and ripped a wrist shot at the top of the right circle past Millan. Junior Patrick Cullity (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Burrows picked up the assists.

The Catamounts tied the game 2-2 on the power play at 9:04 of the second period. After a wild scramble in front of Millan’s net, Milo one-timed a cross-crease feed from MacKenzie past the helpless Terriers goaltender. Hobey Baker finalist Viktor Stålberg (Gothenburg, Sweden) picked up the other assist after being turned away by Millan with a brilliant right pad save just seconds earlier.

Controlling the momentum, Vermont claimed their first lead of the game just 45 seconds later to take a 3-2 advantage. Burrows lit the lamp with an unassisted tally when he snapped off a wrist shot from inside the left point under the arm of Millan.

“We talked about in between periods making simpler plays and getting the puck out of the zone, especially the neutral zone,” Sneddon said. “The second period it was all quick decisions by our defensemen. We counter attacked very well and I think we had some puck luck there as well. I don’t think Millan gives up those goals too often.”

The Terriers fought back to tie the score 3-3 on the power play at 18:27 of the period. Saponari lifted a wrister over Madore’s right shoulder to tie the game.

Vermont out shot BU 16-6 in the second.

The Catamounts clawed back on the power play midway through the third period to take a 4-3 lead. After corralling a loose puck near the sideboards, MacKenzie centered himself and unleashed a wristshot that eluded a maze in front and trickled past Millan for his first career goal. Milo and Roloff picked up the assists.

Vermont’s lead was short-lived as the Terriers fought back to tie the score 4-4 at 13:06 when Higgins scored.

BU scored the eventual game-winner just 73 seconds later to make it 5-4. Once again, it was Wilson lighting the lamp when he knocked in a rebound off Madore’s right pad into the back of the net for his second goal of the game.

“I think that’s where our team came up big,” Parker said. “Not just how they scored the goals, but how they played. They played as a team. There wasn’t an individual trying to make the big play; it was a team getting down to business as usual.”

The Catamounts could not pull Madore until 28 seconds left in regulation. Denying Vermont a shot at the equalizer before the final horn sounded, the Terriers moved on to play Miami in the national championship on Saturday.

“First and foremost, it hurts really badly right now,” Vermont senior captain Dean Strong (Mississauga, Ont.) said. “But for the positive, I’m very proud to be a part of this hockey club, and I can’t think of a better way to have spent four years right now than with our coaching staff and the group we’ve had this year and in the past three years.”

Strong finished his stellar career having played in all 155 games.

“To take off that jersey tonight was not very easy for Dean Strong, and he gave a great postgame speech to the team after I addressed the team that our guys won’t ever forget.”

“And as a coach, you know, good seasons don’t always end in championships,” concluded Sneddon. “But I’ve got a lot of champions in that locker room.”

NOTES: Tonight’s game was televised on ESPN2 HD with Gary Thorne and Barry Melrose as the commentators … Tonight’s game was the final contest for seniors Corey Carslon, Kyle Kuk, Peter Lenes, Dean Strong and senior student manager John Gobeil … The group was part of 75 wins in its four seasons … Vermont entered the contest unbeaten in 50 its last 51 games when scoring four or more goals … The Cats had gone 0 for 8 on the power play in the NCAA Tournament before going 2 for 7 tonight … Vermont went 2-2-0 against BU this season … 11 of the last 17 meetings between the Catamounts and Terriers have been decided by one goal or ended in a tie ... Josh Appelbaum contributed to this report.