BOSTON - It might have lost more in this season's first 10 games than it did in all of last year's 45. It might be fighting to stay out of the cellar in Hockey East. And it might have entered the weekend ranked last among all league teams in offense.

But Boston University is still, well, Boston University. So although his team gave up a third-period lead, and then came just inches away from netting the golden goal in overtime, University of New Hampshire winger Paul Thompson couldn't be too disappointed when his Wildcats tied the Terriers, 3-3, last night at Agganis Arena. Particularly because it piggybacked on Friday's 4-2 victory.

"We're happy with the three-point weekend," the Derry product said. "We had a chance to win this game, and could've had a chance for the sweep - which would've been huge.

"But you can't be too disappointed when you take three out of four (points) from BU."

The reigning national champs might now be 3-7-1, and 2-6-1 within the conference, though last night they played with the desperation of a team that doesn't want to fall too far behind too fast, and New Hampshire (4-6-3, 4-2-2) managed to match that intensity.

The result was a well-played, fast-paced battle that displayed the talent present in a pair of young teams that stumbled at the start, but still hold playoff expectations. Both sides played with an energy more reminiscent of late-March than mid-November.

"I thought it was really an exciting game to watch," said BU Coach Jack Parker, echoing the sentiments UNH counterpart Dick Umile had voiced moments earlier. "I didn't think we played that well (Friday) night, and I didn't think UNH played that well (Friday) night, but I thought both teams played really well tonight."

Parker's Terriers played a little bit better over the first two periods, answering Thompson's initial tally with goals from David Warsofsky and Vinny Saponari, and taking a 2-1 lead to the third. But it wouldn't last.

Just 20 seconds into the period, UNH captain Bobby Butler sliced into the BU zone and fired high on goalie Grant Rollheiser (27 saves), who took the rubber off his right shoulder, but left a juicy rebound rolling to the slot. That's where Phil DeSimone was crashing, and the junior pivot popped it into the open net to tie things at 2.

And that line wasn't done. Nearly six minutes later, with Terrier Alex Chiasson serving his sentence for slashing, Butler worked the puck to Matt Campanale for a shot from the point. He kept it low, so when Thompson came cruising across the slot all he had to do was nick the rubber and it went fluttering over the down-and-out Rollheiser.

As it floated to the twine, UNH had a 3-2 lead. Thompson had his second goal of the night, to go with an assist. Butler had his third helper. And their line, which is centered by DeSimone, had its 21st point in the six games since it was united.

Thompson's power-play goal was the only conversion among UNH's six attempts with the extra skater, and while BU had just two such opportunities, they made the most of the latter. With 8:08 to play, Kevin Shattenkirk spotted Corey Trivino cutting alone on the backdoor, and with a pretty feed and finish the Terriers forced overtime.

In the extra period the Wildcats had the better chances early, earning a power play when Warsofsky was whistled for cross-checking, and then putting all sorts of pressure on Rollheiser with several in-tight chances that only stopped when forward Nick Bonino swept the puck out of the crease with his glove. Thinking Bonino had closed his hand, and should've been called for a penalty, UNH captain Peter LeBlanc leapt about a foot off the ice in protest. His coach asked for a video review. But neither got what he was looking for.

"He said he was certain," Umile said. "He was right there. He was certain he just batted it out of there."

In the immediate aftermath of that near-miss, BU took the puck the other way and Andrew Glass got a golden chance thanks to a 2-on-1 rush, but Brian Foster came up big, getting a glove on the shot and tipping it wide.

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