Miami Feels The Pain That Will Last A Lifetime

In the annals of gut-wrenching defeats, you're going to have to dig deep to find one tougher than Miami's collapse against Boston in the NCAA hockey final on Sunday.

Miami (of Ohio, naturally) took a 3-1 lead with four minutes to go in the championship game. Thirty seconds later, Boston pulled their goalie, giving the RedHawks almost three and a half minutes to put the game away with an empty netter. But BU poked their own goal in with just under a minute left and then with 17 seconds to play, the Terriers tied it with a one-timer from the right circle. A two-goal lead, vanished in the final minute. Then it got worse.

Halfway through the first overtime, Miami defenseman Kevin Roeder dove to deflect a shot from the point, but the puck ricocheted off his leg pads and past his goalie to give Boston the title. That's a terrible way to lose any overtime game, but overtime in the National Championship when you were a minute away from winning your school's first national title in any sport? Yeah, that stings.

If you were a Boston hockey fan watching the game, it was maybe the greatest moment of your life, but if you're a Miami fan ... I hear science is doing wonderful things with drugs these days. In the meantime, if you're looking for one person to heap all your scorn and ridicule on ... make it this guy. I haven't seen a premature celebration that unfortunate since the "diplomatic immunity" guy in Lethal Weapon 2. What were you thinking, sir?

BU was able to raise its game [Boston Globe] BU win timeless [Boston Herald] Fantastic finish for BU leaves Miami (Ohio) in heartbreak [CBS Sports] Miami Fans Devastated By Hockey Team's Loss [WKRC] Conrad: RedHawks' time will come sooner rather than later [Oxford Press] They're No Fair-Weather College Ice Hockey Fans [Washington Post]