Terriers rally in third period to upend Wolverines

BOSTON -- Boston University's dominance in the third period a season ago was well documented, but Friday night's game at Agganis Arena featured a bit of a flashback.

The Terriers entered the final period down two to No. 12 Michigan, but scored twice midway through the frame before junior defenseman Doyle Somerby fired off the game-winning goal with 2:54 remaining for a 3-2 win.

Somerby's second tally of the season came on a long shot from the point that went untouched through a sea of bodies in front of the net. Michigan senior Steve Racine did not see the puck as it sailed through the offensive zone and ultimately over his shoulder.

The win lifts BU's record to 6-3-2 on the season and extended its unbeaten streak, which dates back to Oct. 30 at Merrimack, to six games.

Somerby's goal capped off an exciting finish for the Terriers, on a night things looked pretty bleak.

"It's not an easy thing to do when you don't play well for two periods, to pull it together and give yourself a chance in the third," BU head coach David Quinn said. "That's what I thought we did. Those first two periods were tough to watch. I didn't think we had a lot of jump in our step."

Racine was tested early with consecutive shots to begin the first period, but his Wolverines stormed back and took a 2-0 lead into the intermission while holding a 15-8 shots on goal advantage.

Junior Alex Kile was first to light the lamp for the Blue, chipping his third goal of the season past BU's Connor LaCouvee at 6:06. Classmate Tyler Motte made a nice play to spin for a shot in tight on the Terriers' sophomore netminder, but Kile picked up a rebound at the crease for the score.

Cooper Marody doubled the visitors' lead at 10:28, scoring the fifth goal of his freshman season on a bouncing puck at the left crease.

"I thought we got off to a good start. It was a pretty even second, and I liked our game through two periods," Michigan head coach Red Berenson said. "But BU took over the game in the third period. ... It's a game of momentum, and we lost it. It's a tough game to lose when you play as well as we did for two periods."

Racine stopped BU's best chance of the first period in the final minute as he flashed his right pad to stop senior Matt Lane of a point-blank chance for one of his eight saves in the frame.

The Terriers had an abbreviated 5-on-3 chance less than six minutes into a scoreless second period, but Racine came up with another big stop on Lane at the end of a nice passing sequence.

LaCouvee, who made half of his 26 saves in the first period, got some help from a goaltender's best friend a few minutes later as junior Nolan De Jong's point shot trickled off the pipe and into the corner.

The Terriers outscored opponents 69-29 in the final frame last year, so Quinn certainly knew what to say to his team when facing a two-goal deficit on this night.

"He told us if that everyone's just a little bit better, then our whole team is going to be better," junior Robbie Baillargeon said. "That's what happened. Everyone, no matter how much they played in the third period, was just a little bit better."

Assistant captain Danny O'Regan got the Terriers on the board 10:44 into the final frame, receiving the final pass of a beautiful power play sequence. Sophomore Brandon Fortunato and senior Matt Grzelcyk traded passes before the latter defender fed O'Regan the puck on the rush for a shot glove side high on Racine from the high slot.

"I thought we came out with a lot more pace to start the third period," Quinn said. "Lone and behold, we get one. The building gets excited and our bench gets excited, and we come back and get another one."

Baillargeon knotted the score just 12 seconds later as he banked a wraparound attempt off a Wolverine defender's skate at the net front for the second goal of his sophomore season. Freshman Bobo Carpenter made a nice play for the primary assist, picking up a bounce off the end wall and feeding the puck to the front.

Just after BU tied the game, it allowed Michigan's Tyler Motte to spring ahead for a breakaway. Somerby made a great recovery to chase down the junior standout and prevent a scoring opportunity, but Motte was awarded a penalty shot for what was called a slash.

LaCouvee stayed with Motte's one-on-one attempt the whole way, making the pad stop to keep the game tied and set up Somerby's winner.

"I didn't think it was a penalty, let alone a penalty shot. I was very surprised," Quinn said. "But Connor, again, makes an unbelievable save to give us a chance."

It was a fitting end to the night for the Marblehead, Mass., native defenseman ― whose last game-winner came against North Dakota during April's Frozen Four ― as he fired a shot from the left point, after intercepting a clearing attempt, to tip the scale back BU's way.