This video I grabbed from ESPN.com doesn’t even do justice to just how special a game which happened last night.
BU has been the best team in the country all season long, and the pressure had gotten to them. The entire game BU had for the most part been it’s own worst enemy. They took way too many penalties and simply couldn’t adjust to the way the referees were calling the game. They kept clutching and grabbing from behind and were all-around undisciplined around the ice.
At the same time, however, there were stretches where BU would seemingly skate circles around Miami’s zone, and had wonderful opportunities. Miami, for it’s part, had a terrific defensive game, and only gave up 1 goal for the first 55 minutes, after a bouncing puck was barely shoved in the net in time before the Miami goalie could cover it up.
Miami was resilient and weathered BU’s offensive storm, and at times had very effective counter-attacks. Miami tied the score at 1 on a third opportunity after the puck squirted from the left side of BU’s net to out front. Miami buried the rebound into the half-open net to tie the game at 1.
From this point until midway through the third period the game was tense. The game stayed tied until Miami scored on a very similar play. A shot from out front produced a rebound that lay right next to the goalie to the right, and an unchecked Miami forward pounded home the open puck.
After BU finished killing yet another penalty, Miami took the puck over just inside their offensive blue line, passed to an open player in the slot halfway between the blue line and the circles and they fired it home to make it a 3-1 game with just over 3 minutes left.
It was at this point that BU took their timeout and pulled their goalie.
Miami stayed true and did not attempt to clear the puck from their own end and risk icing the puck and their strong defense still kept BU off the board for over 2 minutes.
With one minute left, however, BU provided a bounce-pass from the boards behind the net and managed to shove the puck into the goal from the left side through a small hole the goalie left open next to the post.
This made it a 3-2 game with 59.5 seconds left.
After the ensuing faceoff BU pressured some more, and from the left circle BU passed the puck to the point, and the beautiful pass to the right circle completed the comeback as BU buried it to tie the game at three.
In overtime the game slowed down a bit. However around 8 minutes in BU fired a simple-looking shot from the point on the left side, which deflected off the defender and tumbled into the net, unseen by Miami’s goalie.
This must have been a heartbreaking way to lose a game. Being up by two goals with a minute left is usually a sign of victory, but on this night it was not to be. It was an incredible game to watch, and one I won’t soon forget.
I’m glad to see BU win this game, but disappointed for Miami with how close they came. Maybe next year.