Privitera OT goal caps rally; BU sweeps to clinch home ice

24 hours after a dominating 5-0 win over Vermont, BU rallied to tie the Catamounts on an extra-attacker goal in the final minutes of regulation, then won the game in overtime on freshman Alexx Privitera’s slap shot. The win clinched home ice in the Hockey East playoffs for BU, which can finish no worse than third. (Photo credit Brendan Mahoney.)

A stalwart effort by Vermont on its Senior Night, led by goalie Rob Madore, produced a 2-0 lead for the home team in the second period. But over the course of 47 minutes, Terriers would outshoot their hosts, 34-14. Sahir Gill cut into the lead with his 11th of the season. BU pressed the attack without success; Matt Nieto hit the post in the second period, while Ben Rosen, who won 13 of 14 faceoffs, beat Madore in the third only to have his shot glance off iron.
With goalie Kieran Millan pulled for an extra attacker, Wade Megan converted an Alex Chiasson pass from behind net to knot the game at two apiece. Privitera's one-timer for the game winner, off assists from Chiasson and Nieto, came 3:02 into overtime and was the only shot on goal in the extra session.

►Megan’s team-best 17th goal and ninth assist—on Gill’s goal—give him 26 points, one more than his freshman and sophomore totals combined.

►Privitera’s fourth goal of the year gives him 10 points and makes him the fourth BU defenseman in double figures in points (Adam Clendening 27, Garrett Noonan 18, Sean Escobedo 11)

►BU swept Vermont in a weekend series for the first time since the Catamounts joined Hockey East in 2005. [In BU’s 2008-09 NCAA championship season, Vermont dealt BU its only consecutive losses of the season in a weekend series at Agganis Arena.]

►Terriers have reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2008-09.

● GoTerriers.com recap, comprehensive box score
● Video highlights
● Jack Parker post-game comments
● Boston Hockey Blog recap,
● HockeyEastOnline recap , current playoff picture
● Burlington Free Press recap
● UVM recap

Looking ahead
Matt Grzelcyk scored a power play goal to get the NTDP U18s going in their 6-3 win against the University of Alabama-Huntsville. 2013 recruit Sam Kurker, the captain of #3- ranked Massachusetts high school St. John's Prep, skated for the U18s during the two-game series with Huntsville. St. John's has a bye in the first weekend of Massachusetts' Super Eight tournament.

2012 recruit Matt O’Connor stopped 28 shots in Youngstown’s 5-2 win against Dubuque, earning his 23rd win of the season, tied for best in the USHL.

2012 recruit Sean Maguire stopped 25 shots in Powell River’s 4-2 win against Vernon. 2012 recruit Marc Hetnik, Jr., picked up an assist for the Vipers. Maguire has won eight of his past 10 starts and is third in the BCHL in GAA.

2012 recruit Mike Moran's 7th goal in 13 games with Bay State helped the Breakers beat Capital District 6-3 in EJHL play.

Looking back
Colin Wilson’s 14th goal of the season, two minutes into the game, jump-started Nashville’s offense in a 6-2 win over San Jose. Wilson (video) now has 33 points, one shy of last season’s total.

Chris Higgins scored a power play goal in the South Carolina Stingrays’ 5-2 win against Gwinnett in ECHL action.

Luke Popko assisted on a pair of goals for the Bloomington Blazers in a 3-2 win against Rio Grande Valley. Popko has 26 points in 40 games.

Women’s program
Terriers take on New Hampshire this afternoon (3 p.m.) in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East playoffs. BU defeated the Wildcats in two of three regular-season meetings, most recently a 5-1 win in Durham. Terriers have nine of their past ten games.
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