Lynnfield’s Higgins helps propel BU to national hockey final

The Boston University hockey team needed some late-game heroics from Lynnfield?s Chris Higgins to put away the University of Vermont Catamounts and advance to Saturday?s national championship game against Miami (Ohio).
Higgins tied the game at 4 with just less than seven minutes remaining in the third period when his intended pass was tipped in the net by freshman Catamount defender Drew MacKenzie.
Just 1:13 later Higgins figured in the game-winner when Hobey Baker finalist Colin Wilson snatched up a rebound from a Higgins shot and beat Rob Madore giving BU (34-6-4) a dramatic 5-4 win.
The victory sets up Saturday?s championship game at the Verizon Center in Washington against Miami (23-12-5). Saturday?s title game will be the first for the Terriers since 1997.
“That’s one of the reasons I came to BU. Such a winning tradition,” Higgins said. “And growing up all I wanted to do was win a national championship, and I knew that Boston University was one of the places that would give me the best chance of doing that.”
Higgins, Wilson and Saugus? Jason Lawrence were immense in helping to bail out Terrier goalie Kieran Millan, who showed freshman nerves for the first time all postseason. The three combined for four goals and five assists.
For Higgins, it was a breakout game.
Hockey East?s active leading all-time scorer, Higgins set up Lawrence?s first-period goal that put BU up 2-0 and then was a big part of the tying and winning goals.
?Well, I think he doesn’t go unnoticed for the fact that he’s very, very flashy and very, very clever and he makes some highlight goals once in a while,” BU coach Jack Parker said. “And I think he’s just coming back to feeling real comfortable. He feels much better with a stick in his hand, one hand on a stick, which is where you’re playing most of the game ? That has given him a chance to start to excel again. I think anybody’s that watched us year in, year out his four years here would remember him as being a terrific player. But you’re right, he doesn’t get much accolades because there’s always been somebody else.”
BU?s talents were on full display early as Wilson tipped home a Kevin Shattenkirk drive at 11:19 of the first to put the Terriers on top. Five minutes later, Higgins made a slick backdoor pass to Lawrence at the right post and the senior potted his 26th goal of the season to make it 2-0 after one.
The Catamounts rallied back in the second, rattling off three goals in surprising fashion to take the lead. BU though would get back even late when Vinny Saponari scored on a power play to tie the game at 3 entering the third.
Vermont recaptured the lead on MacKenzie?s goal midway through the period. Down but not out, the Terriers showed the character of a No. 1 team and rallied.
Higgins got the comeback started when his intended pass for Lawrence went off MacKenzie and trickled home to tie the game.
?Brian Strait made a great play to turn the puck over and he got it to Jay and me – Jay made a great play to dish it off to me and then he went hard to the net. I tried to slide it over to him. Maybe I should have thought shot first instead of pass,” Higgins said. “But I was fortunate enough that when I went to slide it over to him, it just went off one of the Vermont guy’s hand and went into the net. Lucky bounce, but great play by Jay and Strait.”
Then Wilson and Higgins combined to seal the Catamounts fate.
Wilson won a faceoff in the Vermont end to Higgins, who rifled a shot that was stopped. But Wilson escaped his check and was able to slam home the rebound to send BU to the title game.
?On our line, it wouldn’t be the same line without (Higgins). I think what he brings to the table is what creates our line. He’s a great play-maker, as you saw (Thursday),” Wilson said. When he’s really on, he’s making those great plays to Jason Lawrence backdoor and getting it to the net.”