Anthony Florentino scored the game's first goal Saturday as Providence struck for a pair of late markers to defeat Boston University 4-3 to win their first-ever NCAA Championship.
Florentino gave the Friars the 1-0 lead at 9:25 of the opening frame when a shot rebounded off the post out to the right point. Florentino had time and space to step into the blast and he made no mistake, firing the low, hard shot past Matt O'Connor.
Florentino ends his sophomore year with three goals, 15 points and a plus-15 rating in 40 games. Fifth-year senior Mark Adams served as the extra defenseman in the victory. The 23-year-old posted three points (1+2) and plus-nine rating in 32 appearances.
O'Connor, a prized undrafted free agent who is reportedly set to visit the Sabres next week, capped a somewhat shaky tournament performance with 39 saves in the Boston University net. The play that everyone will remember happened at 11:24 of the third period with the Terriers clinging to a 3-2 lead. O'Connor squeezed a dump-in from center off the stick of Friars defenseman Tom Parisi, but when he went to make a play to the corner, he instead dropped the puck and allowed it to flutter between his legs and into the net behind him to make it a 3-3 game.
The Friars struck again just 2:19 later with Brandon Tanev securing the game-winning goal.
Jack Eichel ('15) notched one assist and six shots on goal for Boston University. The Hobey Baker-winning freshman won a draw forward to himself and quickly entered the zone to help create a goal just four seconds after the Terriers had popped in their first of the night at 12:54 of the opening frame. Eichel completes his first NCAA season with 26 goals, 71 points and a plus-51 rating.
In the QMJHL, Vaclav Karabacek contributed three shots on goal as Baie-Comeau cruised past Val-d'Or 9-1. Karabacek has nine points (3+6) in seven playoff tilts. The Drakkar take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series heading into Tuesday's Game 3.
In the USHL, Christopher Brown was kept of the scoresheet for the eighth straight game as Tri-City closed the regular season with a 5-2 victory at Des Moines. Brown, who ended the year without a goal in his final 21 contests, captured 37 points (13+24) in 58 games as a Junior A rookie. The Storm, who finished in second place in the Western Conference standings, open the best-of-five playoff series Tuesday versus the Omaha Lancers.
