BOSTON — The college hockey world needs to be aware: Boston University’s season isn’t over.
A preseason favorite in many polls, it was hardly a banner year for the Terriers. But a playoff run to define the madness of March has BU and its lineup of blue chip players heading to the NCAA tournament after a 2-0 victory over Providence in the Hockey East championship game, giving the Terriers their ninth tournament title.
To make Cinderella seem even more of a great story line, the man who gave the Terriers the victory is the $71,000 man: Drew Melanson.
Graduating from Rensselaer in three years, Melanson knew he could transfer without the need to sit out a year as a typical transfer would. He also needed to find a way to fund his single year on Commonwealth Avenue, something that would cost he and his family a figure north of $70,000.
Asked how he was able to finish his undergraduate degree at RPI in three years, Melanson gave the media a good laugh.
“I’m really smart,” Melanson said to a chorus of laughter.
His coach wasn’t reciprocating.
“He’s not that smart,” said David Quinn. “The hockey world is a small world and you heard Drew Melanson was going to graduate a year early from RPI. When he did, we reached out through people he knows and said we have a spot for him.
“He showed up on campus. We sat down with his mother and father and him and said if you have $71,000 we’d love to have you here at BU.”
On Saturday, that non-scholarship player buried the biggest goal of Boston University’s season, finishing a feed from Jordan Greenway, a U.S. Olympian who set up four of BU’s five goals on the weekend.
That goal, combined with tournament MVP Jake Oettinger’s 30 saves gave the Terriers the tournament victory. Bobo Carpenter’s empty-net goal simply allowed the Terriers and its faithful to celebrate with 1:22 left in the game.
Let’s not exaggerate, though. This was hardly a cakewalk for BU. Providence plastered the Terriers net with 18 shots in the first period. Keeping most of those attempts to the outside was more than a moral victory for the underdogs, but hardly created a world of confidence.
That came as the game went along and, similar to the season the Terriers have had, things as their head coach described them began to “snowball.”
It’s hardly been a dream season for BU. Sporting a dream lineup of top returning talent combined with a highly-touted recruiting class, the Terriers were picked to win Hockey East preseason and were a top three team to begin the year in all national polls.
But like often happens, It was a very bumpy ride. And faced with an ugly 7-10-1 record at the semester break, it has been clear that the only way to the NCAA tournament was going to be through a league championship.
That is what got accomplished on Saturday, but only after two one-goal wins over Connecticut a weekend ago and an overtime victory against rival Boston College, one that basically kept BU’s rival from the NCAA field.
Suddenly, BU will head to the field of 16 that will be announced on Sunday as not just a participant but a very dangerous dark horse. Providence will be there as well as will be another Hockey East club in Northeastern.
But let’s not be coy. This is a dangerous BU team that has the horses in the barn ready to win. Nothing will be easy, but Saturday was the first of many difficult steps that the Terriers need to make.
Cinderella can’t dance all night, but this BU team is ready to try to waltz as long as it can.
