Jack Hughes' Double Goals Power Boston University to NCAA Final After 10-Year Drought

In an exciting advancement for Boston University, the Terriers defeated Penn State with a 3-1 victory on Thursday night, securing their first Frozen Four final in a decade, as reported by The Boston Globe. The game began with Jack Hughes, a pivotal player for Boston University, capitalizing on an early opportunity. He opened the scoring just 1:35 into the game by sweeping in a loose puck after Penn State's goaltender, Arsenii Sergeev, failed to locate the puck in the crease following Matt Copponi's initial shot.

Boston University extended their lead when Cole Eiserman converted a 2-on-1 break nine minutes later, bringing the scoreboard to 2-0. Eiserman's goal was his 24th of the season and resulted from a seamless play orchestrated by Cole Hutson, who drove deep down the left side and fed a pass through the crease to Eiserman for a one-timer.

Penn State, making noise in only their fourth NCAA tournament appearance since their inception in 2011-12, narrowed the deficit in the third period. Nicholas DeGraves scored just 2:15 into the final period, giving the Nittany Lions hope. Yet, Boston University's response remained firm. As the clock ticked down, Jack Harvey sealed the Terriers' victory with an empty-net goal, confirming their place in the national championship game.

The encounter also featured a duel between two goaltenders. Mikhail Yegorov, a freshman for Boston University, made 32 saves on 33 shots, playing a crucial part in their defensive stand. Across the rink, Sergeev registered 31 saves for Penn State.

Boston University's head coach, Jay Pandolfo, has experience with national championships. Pandolfo, who played on Boston University's 1995 championship team, has guided the Terriers to three Frozen Four appearances as their coach. "I was fortunate to play on really good teams when I was a player at BU, and we only won one time, so I have a pretty good understanding of how hard it is to win," he said, according to CBS News. Under Pandolfo's leadership, Boston University is pursuing their first NCAA hockey title since their victory over Miami (Ohio) in 2009.

Awaiting them in the championship is top-seeded Western Michigan, who advanced by overcoming defending champions Denver in a 3-2 double-overtime win in the semifinals. Western Michigan now brings a nine-game winning streak into the fixture against Boston University.

Reflecting on their advancement, Hughes expressed both relief and anticipation, stating, "It almost doesn't feel quite real. It's a little bit of a relief for now and then we're going to get back to work and hopefully win it all," according to CBS News. Boston University has been on an impressive late-season surge, winning eight out of their last nine games, and they aim to continue this momentum into Saturday's final at 7:30 p.m.

Guy Gadowsky, Penn State's head coach, reflected on their journey, saying, "It's always tough when the season ends. But I honestly just can't help but feel so grateful and positive about this year and this team,"