NCAA Championship Game: One For The Ages

As I’ve said before on this blog I never really followed College Hockey but as a result of the excitement that has been building throughout this year’s tournament I decided to take a more in-depth interest.  Good thing for me that I did because from start to finish this has been some of the most exciting hockey I have ever seen.  These kids play with tremendous heart. 

I have a somewhat jaded outlook in that whenever I’m watching NHL hockey and a team is down by more than a couple of goals with a minute or so remaining, my expectation is that the game is over.  Well I’ve learnt in College Hockey that this does not apply.  During this tourney we’ve seen teams come back from 2 goal deficits with under a minute remaining in the 3rd period to tie the game, force OT and then win the game in extra time.  (ironically while this did happen tonight I could be referencing a number of games that took place throughout the tournament).

I was at the gym watching the game and Miami (Ohio) was up 3-1 with a minute to go.  As I stood chatting with a few others watching the final minute one guy mentioned how nice it was that a team like Miami (Ohio), a team who in the history of the school had never made it to any final in any sport, let alone win one, would take home the NCAA title.  And all they had to do was kill the final minute of the 3rd period and they would be champs.

Well as fate would have it with with 59.5 seconds remaining Zach Cohen banged a rebound home at the left post to draw the Terriers to within a goal.  At this point all the people in the gym that were thinking the underdog’s had it were getting a bit nervous.  And with good reason as with 17.4 seconds to play, Nick Bonino one-timed a great pass from Hobey Baker winner Matt Gilroy to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Much to my dismay the gym closed with 10 minutes to go in a back and forth overtime so I had to leave but luckily I dvr’d the game so I could watch the exciting conclusion to overtime. 

I would try and sum up the game winning goal but it’s probably best if I allowed Gary Thorne and Barry Melrose do it for me.  Here is the video of the OT game winner by Colby Cohen of the Boston University Terriers.

What a fantastic tournament, culminating in what’s being described as one of the best NCAA Hockey finals ever.  Congrats to the 2009 NCAA champion Boston University Terriers and as well congrats to the runner-up Miami (Ohio) Redhawks who also deserve praise for their excellent level of play throughout the tournament.

I should also mention that the crowd at the Verizon Center was incredible.  Close to 19,000 took in the final game and I’ve been told that the atmosphere was electric.