April 1, 1995: BU nails down its fourth NCAA championship with a convincing 6-2 win over conference rival Maine at the Providence Civic Center, which also was the site of BU’s 1978 national title. The Terriers had played Maine three times previously during the season, losing once and tying twice. But on this day, the result was far different.
For BU it was the third national title won in an all-East Championship Game: 1972 vs. Cornell, 1978 vs. BC and 1995 vs. Maine. And it was the second BU squad to complete a tournament hat trick: Beanpot, conference tournament title and NCAA championship.
After edging Providence, 3-2, in the Hockey East championship game—the final college game played at the old Boston Garden, the Terriers dominated Lake Superior State, 6-2, and Minnesota, 7-3, to return to the national title game for the third time in five seasons.
Steve Thornton, later voted team MVP, got things going late in the first period scoring from a faceoff to the left of Maine’s Blair Allison. BU stretched the lead to 3-0 on second period goals by Chris O’Sullivan and Captain Jacques Joubert, before Tim Lovell got Maine on the board. The Black Bears cut the lead to one in the first minute of the third period on Trevor Roenick’s power play goal. But BU put the game out of reach with O’Sullivan’s second goal and scores by Mike Sylvia and Bob Lachance. Tom Noble stopped 21 Black Bear shots, while Allison had 33 saves.
O’Sullivan, a second team All-American, was chosen the game’s Most Outstanding Player. He was named to the all-tournament team along with Shawn Bates and Kaj Linna.
BU finished the season with ten consecutive wins and 15 victories in its final 16 games. With a 31-6-3 record, the 1994-95 Terriers are tied for the third most wins in a season by a Terrier team, exceeded only by 34 in 1993-94 and 35 in 2008-09.
● BU Today There’s Life After a Championship—Checking back with the guys from the 1995 team
Looking ahead
BU recruit Tristan Amonte and his Penticton Vees teammates will finally begin the regular BCHL season with a 20-game schedule during the next five weeks. The Vees played a 14-game pre-season tournament last fall before the league shut down due to COVID-19. Amonte scored four goals and added two assists in the tournament. He had 34 points for Penticton in 2019. Fellow recruit Quinn Hutson had played for Penticton during the tournament (17 points) but moved on to the USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks in December.
Looking back
The Bruins pairing of two former Terriers on defense is getting considerable attention in the media.
● WEEISPorts.com Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk give Bruins a different kind of shutdown pair.
● TheAthletic.com Why the Bruins can't keep Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk together
● Boston Herald.com Charlie McAvoy-Matt Grzelcyk pairing an eye-opening success
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