Jan. 3, 2009
DENVER, Colo. - The third-ranked Boston University men's ice hockey team will take on the host Pioneers in the championship game of the Wells Fargo Denver Cup on Saturday at 9:07 p.m. EST. Fifth-ranked Denver is undefeated in its last eight games (7-0-1), while the Terriers are riding a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1).
BU will be looking to claim its second tournament title of the season after opening the year with the Ice Breaker championship back at Agganis Arena.
Check back to this page throughout Saturday's game for live updates.
BU 4, Denver 1 -- Final
11:30 p.m.
For the first time since the 1991-92 season, the Terriers have defeated their first seven non-conference opponents. The championship victory for BU represents just the fourth time in the 17 years of the tournament that host Denver has not captured the title and just the Pioneers' second loss in the championship game.
The Terriers earned four of the six all-tournament picks, including Jason Lawrence, David Warsofsky, Matt Gilroy and Kieran Millan, who had a career-high 33 saves for the victory. Gilroy was awarded the tournament MVP for his excellent defense during the two games and for also scoring the game-winner tonight.
Check back later tonight for a full recap.
11:25 p.m.
With 1:08 remaining, Zach Cohen scored an empty net goal off assists from Saponari and Warsofsky to extend the lead to 4-1.
11:20 p.m.
With just under three minutes to play, Millan gets lucky when he loses a shot from the left circle in his pads. Denver is going to pull Cheverie with 2:50 left.
11:17 p.m.
The Pioneers continue to put pressure on in the BU zone and are pretty much shooting every chance they get, hoping to make it a one-goal game. The Terriers are playing smart and limiting the home team to few Grade A looks.
11:13 p.m.
BU makes it 27 straight on the penalty kill and Millan makes his 29th save in the process to best his career high.
11:10 p.m.
The BU penalty kill will be put to the test one more time - John McCarthy to the box for holding with just over nine minutes left in regulation.
11:06 p.m.
Midway through the third, and the Pioneers have had the better of the chances so far this period. Millan has stood tall, however, and is nearing his career-high save total of 28.
10:51 p.m.
Denver got on the board at 17:41 of the second with a goal from junior Rhett Rakhshani, but the Terriers regained the lead just over a minute later when a faceoff win by Bonino made it's way to Yip, who tallied his eighth goal of the year to tie for the team lead with classmates Jason Lawrence and Chris Higgins.
10:19 p.m.
The whole even-strength thing didn't last long, as freshman Andrew Glass was sent to the box for interference. Once again, however, the penalty kill steps up - make it 26 straight.
10:16 p.m.
After the teams combined seven penalties in the first, they keep on coming in the second with three called in the span of 87 seconds. Denver was charged with two of them, but neither team took advantage and we're back to even strength.
10:02 p.m.
Second period is underway. Without question, Millan turned in one of his best periods yet in the first. He hasn't given up more than a goal in a period in his last 18 stanzas between the pipes. On the other end, BU has now scored a goal in 10 straight periods.
9:46 p.m.
A strong first period for the Terriers comes to an end. Special teams were fantastic, as the second goal came on the power play and the Pioneers' came up empty on all four of their power-play chances. BU held a large shot advantage until the last few minutes, when the Pioneers peppered the net on the man advantage and ended up outshooting the Terriers by a slim 14-13 margin.
On the scoreboard, however, BU enters the first intermission with a two-goal advantage for the third time this season and the first time in a road game since last season's 6-0 shutout win at Providence on March 6.
9:43 p.m.
A charging penalty on junior Eric Gryba gave the Pioneers a short eight-second two-man advantage, but the penalty kill once again came through and has now killed off 24 straight.
9:36 p.m.
The Terriers will have to kill off another penalty if they want to keep their two-goal lead, as junior Brian Strait was whistled for holding the stick at 14:41.
9:30 p.m.
POWER-PLAY GOAL... BU! Senior co-captain Matt Gilroy one-timed a shot from the center point past Cheverie's glove side on assists from classmate Brandon Yip and sophomore Nick Bonino at the 11:05 mark.
9:28 p.m.
The Terriers kill off yet another penalty - make it 22 straight and 29 of their last 30. Just seconds after play returned to even-strength, Vinny Saponari drew a penalty to give BU a power-play chance of their own.
9:24 p.m.
Just 10 seconds into a penalty on junior Luke Popko for cross-checking, the Terriers nearly doubled their lead on a shorthanded breakaway chance for Chris Higgins. The puck was initially stopped by Cheverie but dropped near Higgins and crossed the line after he fell into the goal. The play was reviewed, but it was clear that the puck went in well after the net was off its moorings.
9:20 p.m.
BU GOAL! Freshman Vinny Saponari ripped a shot from the right circle off the left post and in following a great pass from classmate David Warsofsky. The goal came in 4-on-4 play, as the teams drew penalties within 41 seconds of each other. Warsofsky assisted on BU's final two goals in Friday night's victory.
9:16 p.m.
This is the first and only time this season that BU is playing a non-conference road game, and through six minutes the Terriers have looked good. BU is attempting to win its first seven non-conference games in a season for the first time since the 1991-92 campaign.
9:12 p.m.
The first power play of the evening is awarded to the Terriers following a holding call on Denver's J.P. Testwuide. BU kept the puck in the DU zone for the vast majority of the two minutes and generated a couple of good looks, but could not get a shot past Cheverie.
9:10 p.m.
Freshman Kieran Millan avoids a crazy scramble in front of the net to keep Denver off the board. Millan was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for December on Friday. He's making his 11th start of the season, and his winning percentage of .850 is good for fourth in the country.
9:08 p.m.
We're underway here at Magness Arena. BU has scored first in eight of its last nine games and hopes to continue that trend tonight.
9:01 p.m.
Here is Denver's lineup:
Colborne - Ruegsegger - Ostrow
Maiani - Martin - Rakhshani
Glasser - Gifford - Salazar
Vossberg - Marcuzzi - Jackson
Testwuide - Brookwell
Wiercioch - Nutini
Mullen - Lee
Cheverie in goal
8:57 p.m.
Here is tonight's BU lineup:
Higgins - Connolly - Lawrence
McCarthy - Bonino - Yip
Glass - Trivino - Vin Saponari
Z. Cohen - Popko - Pereira
Strait - Gilroy
C. Cohen - Smolinsky
Warsofsky - Gryba
Millan in goal
The only change among the skaters is freshman Andrew Glass taking classmate Kevin Gilroy's spot as the third-line left win. Sophomore Joe Pereira's checking from behind penalty on Friday was ruled a game misconduct, not a game disqualification, so he's back on the ice tonight.
8:48 p.m.
Holy Cross defeated RPI, 4-3, in the consolation game here at the Denver Cup. On the women's side, the Terriers finished off a three-point weekend at Ohio State with a 2-2 draw against the Buckeyes.
8:39 p.m.
Good evening from Magness Arena for tonight's Wells Fargo Denver Cup title game, which features a pair of top-five teams. Two other Hockey East teams are playing for holiday tournament championships tonights, as Vermont hosts St. Lawrence in the Catamount Cup and Northeastern takes on host Minnesota in the Dodge Holiday Classic.
