Noonan Nips Minutemen In OT

Garrett Noonan's third goal of the season
gave BU a much needed win in Amherst
tonight.
(photo by Matt Dresens)



 Tonight BU picked up two valuable points in the Hockey East standings by defeating UMass 4-3 in overtime. With the win BU moved two 14-8-7 on the season and kept pace with Merrimack in the league standings after the Warriors dropped New Hampshire 4-2 earlier in the evening. Both BU and MC are tied at 27 points in Hockey East.

BU jumped out to a 1-0 just a minute and nine seconds into tonight's contest. Corey Trivino picked up a lose puck in the slot and riffled it past UMass goalie Paul Dainton into the top corner.

The Minutemen responded just 16 seconds later when Branden Gracel potted his fourth goal of the season. The puck was tied up next to the post on Millan's pads and Gracel hacked away at it until it crossed the line and the red light went on.

BU would go back on top with just 5 tics left in the frame. Matt Nieto fed Alex Chiasson at he top of the crease and Chiasson one touched the pass into the back of the net. It looked on replay as if he deflected it in with a skate but there was no "distinct kicking motion" to negate the goal, so it stood.

UMass came out in the second with a ton of energy and took the lead on two quick goals. Conor Sheary tallied the first; and Danny Hobbs scored next completing a well played two on one break.

BU would answer the call when Wade Megan scored his seventh goal of the season. Megan batted in a shot/rebound out of mid air and past Dainton to make it 3-3 at the 11:39 mark of the second

The 3-3 score stood up throughout the third period mainly because of Dainton's play in the UMass net. BU had a string of power plays towards the end of the stanza but could not convert on any of then. The Terriers outshot UMass13-3 with niether team scoring, so the game when to overtime.

In the extra time Garrett Noonan made an exceptional play. First, he was able to keep the puck in the UMass zone on a daring play at the blue line when he pinched in to stop a UMass breakout thus forcing a 3 on 1 in favor of BU, and finally potting the game winner on heads-up pass from Corey Trivino.

BU will take on Harvard Monday in the Beanpot Consolation game.