WASHINGTON — Boston University must feel as though it got to celebrate this NCAA hockey championship twice.
Trailing by two goals with a minute left in regulation, the top-seeded Terriers stormed back to force overtime, then beat Miami (Ohio) 4-3 on a shot that went in off a RedHawks player in the extra session Saturday night.
Defenseman Colby Cohen was credited with the winning goal on a slap shot that ricocheted high off sliding Miami defenseman Kevin Roeder’s leg 11:47 into OT and gave BU its fifth national hockey title — and first since 1995.
“Wow. What a hockey game,” said BU coach Jack Parker, who set a record with his 30th tournament win. “What a finish.”
Cohen, the Avalanche’s second-round pick (45th overall) in the 2007 draft, was chosen as the tournament’s most outstanding player, but he never would have been in position to score the last goal without the whirlwind finish.
Miami led 3-1 before BU’s Nick Bonino had a goal and an assist in the closing 60 seconds, including the tying score with 17.4 seconds left off a deft pass from Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy.
That set off a wild celebration on BU’s bench — even though the final outcome was still in doubt, of course. But at least BU suddenly had a chance.
Parker, who won his third national title, needed to calm down his players during the intermission before OT.
“I told them to relax. They were all excited like they’d just won,” Parker said. “I told them they had to relax and get ready to win the game. They hadn’t won it yet.”
But BU, which features 13 players drafted by NHL teams, was in charge in overtime. After the winning goal went in, the Terriers piled atop each other on the ice, as Roeder sat alone at the other end. Parker walked over to join his players and was greeted first with a big bear hug from Gilroy.
Both goalies — Boston’s Kieran Millan and Miami’s Cody Reichard — are freshmen, and both were superb. Millan made 29 saves.
Reichard made 28, but it was that last shot — he never saw the puck as it fluttered high in the net — that he’ll remember the most.
“It’s just a real tough way to go down,” Reichard said.
BU (35-6-4), which set a school record for victories in a season, was playing in its 10th NCAA final. Miami (23-13-4) had never been beyond the round of eight.
