Providence Beats Boston University 4-3 To Win First NCAA Hockey Championship

BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston University Terriers were hoping to win another title at TD Garden on Saturday night, but the Providence Friars had other plans.

The Friars won their first NCAA Championship in school history, upsetting the Terriers 4-3.

Providence jumped on top early in the first period when sophomore defenseman Anthony Florentino, a West Roxbury native, put one by BU goaltender Matt O'Connor at the 9:25 mark. But that lead didn't last long.

Terriers junior Ahti Oksanen beat Friars netminder Jon Gillies for his 25th score of the season to tie the game 1-1. Just four seconds later, Daniel O'Regan scored his 23rd goal of the season off a Jack Eichel faceoff win to put Boston University on top 2-1. It's the fastest two goals scored in Frozen Four history.

Providence fought back and evened things up at 2-2 just 4:29 into the second period when junior Mark Jankowski scored on a power play. But Terriers senior forward Cason Hohmann beat Gillies on a feed from Oksanen to put Boston University back on top 3-2.

But in the third period the Friars came out firing, and took advantage of a Terriers miscue.

The Friars pulled even on a mistake by O'Connor with 8:36 to go in the game. After gloving a deep shot from Providence defenseman Kyle McKenzie, O'Connor lost the puck and it trickled into the net to tie things at 3-3.

Just two minutes later off a faceoff win in BU's zone, Brandon Tanev beat O'Connor to put Providence on top 4-3 with 6:17 left in the game.

Boston University won the Beanpot title and Hockey East tournament at TD Garden earlier this year. Eichel, who won the Hobey Baker Award on Friday, was held to an assist on six shots in the game.

Gillies made 49 saves on the night. He stopped all 12 shots that went his way in the final 20 minutes, and made a sprawling save in the final minute to preserve the win.

In:
• NCAA College Sports