MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Terrier Trinity of scoring, protection and goaltending elevated Boston University to a 2-1 victory over Cornell within the Manchester Regional ultimate on Saturday evening at SNHU Arena.
BU superior to the Division 1 NCAA Frozen Four for the twenty third time and can face the winner of the Fargo Regional matchup between No. 1 ranked Minnesota and St. Cloud on April 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The No. 5 ranked Terriers improved to 29-10-0 and are 6-0 in NCAA match video games performed in Manchester.
BU goalie Drew Commesso made 13 saves to file his twenty fifth win of the season. Commesso allowed simply two objectives in BU’s wins over Western Michigan (5-1) and Cornell to safe the Manchester Regional MVP award.
“It feels great that we all put together that effort and it wasn’t just the last two nights, it was the last two weekends,” mentioned Commesso. “We knew each recreation going ahead goes to be a battle, it was going to be shut and it was the little issues that made the distinction.
“Blocking shots, winning battles, doing the little things. Our coaches have been preaching to us that is what makes a difference.”
The feel-good story of the regional was BU senior right-wing Ethan Phillips, who performed on the Terriers first line with Jay O’Brien and Matt Brown. Phillips, who missed 11 video games this season with an harm, scored the sport successful purpose and had a purpose and two assists in opposition to Western Michigan.
“I am really happy for Ethan,” mentioned BU first yr coach Jay Pandolfo. “He had the harm there and he was out 10 to 12 weeks and when he got here again and took him a short while to get his conditioning going and get his legs underneath him.
“For him stick to with it and this weekend, he was a big reason that we won both these games.”
The Terriers took a 2-0 lead when Phillips transformed a impartial zone turnover right into a breakaway at 7:26 of the third. Cornell goalie Ian Shane (19 saves) dealt with Phillips’ preliminary shot from the underside of the suitable circle however did not comprise the puck.
Phillips collected his personal rebound on the purpose crease and wristed the puck glove facet for his fourth of the season and second of the regional. Cornell scored a purpose with 28.4 seconds remaining to disclaim Commesso his third shutout of the marketing campaign.
“I got a lot of confidence from my teammates and coaches, they have been supportive the whole time I was coming back from injury,” mentioned Phillips.
BU had its five-on-five operational from the onset, discovering open pictures from all angles on Shane. Freshman left wing Jeremy Wilmer launched a backhander from the underside of the left circle at 8:20 that Shane deflected excessive with a nanosecond to spare. BU maintained prolonged zone time by way of repeated line shifts whereas the Big Red acquired it first shot on purpose at 11:57.
BU was handed the primary energy play of the sport when ahead Winter Wallace acquired lugged for tripping at 15:41. The Big Red efficiently managed their 18th straight penalty kill and went on the facility play when BU’s Luke Tuch was boxed for roughing. The first interval was scoreless when time expired.
BU broke the impasse on a routine dump and chase at 2:13 of the second. Wilmer acquired possession from a scrum in the suitable nook and fed senior ahead Wilmer Skook, who was left unguarded on Shane’s purpose mouth. Skoog executed a catch and shoot that beat Shane to the close to publish for his sixteenth of the season and second of the regional.
“I think we had some chemistry early in the year and it was good to get back with him,” mentioned Jeremy Wilmer. “I saw it hit the wall and I just kind of swooped in to pick up the puck and he was in a great spot.”
The groups executed profitable penalty kills earlier than the halfway level of the second, however the Terriers required three stellar saves by Commesso and one hit publish to protect their one-goal lead. Cornell caught a break when Quinn Hutson hit the suitable publish on a clear breakaway at 14:15. BU held a 13-11 edge in pictures on purpose after two.
Source: www.bostonherald.com