O'Connor Does It Again

Terriers, Sioux Skate to Thrilling Draw

Last night was an impressive performance for sophomore goalie Matt O'Connor. Tonight was record breaking. O'Connor stopped a career high 55 shots in a 3-3 tie with the University of North Dakota.

Time and time again, O'Connor was there to bail out the Terriers with clutch saves at key points in the game. His previous high water mark for saves in a game was 42.

Matt O'Connor makes one of his 55 saves. This one came in
the first period.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Much like last night, there were a ton of penalties and BU took advantage their third power play, less than seven minutes into the game. BU was able to set up and Matt Lane and Ahti Oksanen got the puck to Garrett Noonan at the top of the slot. From there, he delayed before launching a well placed wrist shot top left on Zane Gothberg (24 saves) that found upper twine. It was Noonan's third of the year. 

Less than two minutes later, the Fighting Sioux evened the game. On a delayed penalty to Dillon Lawrence, UND's Bryn Chyzyk picked up the puck before BU could touch up in the high slot. From there, he spun around and in all one motion flung a wrist shot toward the goal. The puck got through a crowd and beat O'Connor to the far post for Chzyzk's second of the year from Keaton Thompson and Wade Murphy at 8:49.  

The teams went to the 'room knotted at 1-1.

Seven minutes into the second, BU regained the lead. Danny O'Regan fed Nick Roberto who was all alone in the low slot. Roberto wasted little time, as he one-timed home his 4th of year. His shot found its way over Gothberg's right shoulder. It was only BU's 6th shot on goal to that point.

The lead lasted all of 14 seconds, as Stephane Pattyn ripped home his second of the year from Michael Parks at 7:13.

At 4:56 of the third period, Jake Moscatel was called for a charging penally. It was a touch call, and man did the Sioux make Jake pay. Brendan O'Donnell and Connor Gaarder set up Adam Tambellini with a wide open net after a cross box pass. Tambellini didn't miss and UND took a 3-2.

BU would even the score about three minutes later as things really opened up. Robbie Baillargeon finished off a rush with Evan Rodrigues and Dalton MacAfee. Rodrigues slid the puck over to Baillargeon at the last possible second, leaving Gothberg well out of position. Robbie had most of the net to shoot at and he did not miss, as he slammed home his 4th of the year into the bottom of the net. 

The game saw no more scoring and after a pretty intense overtime, with both teams having some pretty good chances, the game ended in a 3-3 draw. 

BU will face Cornell in the semi annual Red Hot Hockey at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.