Thank heaven for number seven

For the second straight night at TD Banknorth Garden, the No. 1/2 Boston University men’s hockey team was forced to skate down a forward for most of the game. And for the second straight night, it didn’t matter.

Despite losing sophomore winger Joe Pereira after his stick lodged in the net, thrust into his stomach and ruptured his spleen in the first period Saturday, top-seeded BU mixed and matched its lines and came away with a 1-0 victory over the fifth-seeded University of Massachusetts-Lowell to win its seventh Hockey East Championship.

The Terriers (31-6-4), who were awarded the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, will face the fourth-seeded Ohio State University in a Northeast Regional semifinal March 28 at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H.

In Friday’s Hockey East semifinal against sixth-seeded Boston College, BU senior winger Brandon Yip earned a game misconduct for hitting from behind early in the first, leaving the Terriers with a makeshift lineup. When the team found itself in the same predicament Saturday, Yip amended his error by scoring the game-winner to send BU into the NCAAs with a conference title in tow.

‘His skill has always been there, and now he’s playing as hard as anybody in this league,’ BU coach Jack Parker said of Yip, whose rollercoaster career has culminated in a spectacular senior year. ‘He plays hard every single night, every single shift.’

Yip gave Hockey East Rookie of the Year Kieran Millan all the offense he needed to backstop the Terriers to victory. The freshman goaltender stopped 32 shots to complete the shutout, earning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award for weathering the storm against a UML team (20-16-2) that needed a win to land an NCAA berth.

The lone goal of the contest came after a flurry in front of the net late in the opening frame. BU freshman defenseman David Warsofsky’s line drive from the left point caromed off UML junior goaltender Nevin Hamilton to Terrier senior forward John McCarthy, who was waiting anxiously at the left post to put it home. His rebound attempt was too strong and clanged off the far iron, but Yip’s steady stick deposited the puck into an empty net from the top of the crease.

Once the Terriers grabbed the lead, Millan’s strong positioning and quick pads took over. UML junior forward Kory Falite had two point-blank chances on a power play in the second period, first on a wrist shot from the slot and then on a follow-up to Millan’s left. The goalie held his ground both times, stepping out from the crease to cut down the angle and keep UML off the board.

In a thrilling weekend of Hockey East play, Millan’s ability to handle the immense pressure in front of his net in Saturday’s second period proved to be the tournament’s lasting image. With the River Hawks clamoring to tie the game, Millan withstood a flood of opponents charging hard to his cage during a UML power play, as sophomore defenseman Maury Edwards and junior defenseman Barry Goers both set up in the crease chasing after a loose puck. While River Hawk players jammed their sticks aggressively at the goalie’s padding, he clamped his glove tightly over the puck just long enough to draw a referee’s whistle before UML was able to knock it into the net.

‘It hit my shoulder, bounced into the crease, jumbled around a few skates, and I ended up getting my glove on it,’ Millan said.

UML had its chances in the third period, including a short time with a 5-on-3 advantage during which two backdoor opportunities were thwarted by the puck skipping over a River Hawk player’s stick. Lowell nearly mimicked Friday’s extra-attacker heroics that pushed it past second-seeded Northeastern University and into the title bout, but Millan came up with one last save on sophomore forward Scott Campbell to ice the game.

‘Their goaltender was spectacular, terrific on the [penalty kill], and they made a one-goal lead hold up,’ UML coach Blaise MacDonald said.

Game notes: Pereira was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and is reportedly in stable condition. Parker said he will miss the remainder of the season. ‘hellip; Senior co-captains Matt Gilroy and McCarthy and sophomore forward Colin Wilson joined Millan on the All-Tournament Team. ‘hellip; Yip also scored the game-winning goal in the 2006 Hockey East final.