Greenway OT Winner Caps BU Comeback; Terriers Take Game 1

The game had everything anyone could want from a playoff game including a dramatic comeback, unlikely goal scorers and above all an overtime game winner.

BU celebrates after Jordan Greenway's overtime game
winning goal.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

3:11 into overtime with BU on the power play, Jordan Greenway buried a shot from the left wing dot past Ryan Ruck’s blocker to give BU a 1-0 series lead. Clayton Keller started the rush through the middle and from the mid slot, dished off a pass to Greenway who did the rest.

“It was certainly a great hockey game, playoff hockey right from the start,” said coach Quinn. “Obviously they [NU] got out of the gate fast and furious and we looked like a team that hadn’t played in a while. We did a really good job of keeping it 2-0, Oettinger made some really big saves and towards the end of the first, we started showing some life. I thought we played a really good second period, got a big power play goal. I really loved the way we played in the third.”

As Quinn eluded to, it was a slow start for the Terriers. NU jumped on the board a little over seven minutes in on Zach Aston-Reese’s 31st goal of the year. Dylan Sikura doubled the Husky lead two and a half minutes later on a nice passing play where Jeremey Davies was able to connect with Sikura backdoor for an easy finish.

NU nearly made it 3-0 minutes later, but BU goalie Jake Oettinger was there to make a sprawling save and keep the Terriers in punching distance.

Ryan Cloonan had a strong game after moving up

to fill the hole left by Bobo Carpenter's injury 

in the first period. Here, he drives the net hard

on one of a few solid rushes by the sophomore

forward still looking for his first goal of the year.

(Photo by Matt Dresens)

BU finally struck back on a power play goal by Dante Fabbro midway through the second. Kieffer Bellows won an in-zone faceoff that sent the puck up top to Brandon Hickey at the left point. From there, the junior defenseman worked it over to Fabbro on the right side and from beyond the circle, wristed home his 6th goal of the year.

The Terriers still needed one more and it came from one of the more unlikely sources. Pat Curry won a battle in the near corner that freed him up to make a centering pass to Chase Phelps who was uncovered in the slot. With no one even remotely close to him, Phelps received the pass and wasted little time depositing his third goal of the year past Ryan Ruck five-hole with 10:32 left.

“It was a great goal to tie it by Phelps,” added Quinn. “Curry did a great job forechecking, makes a great pass, Phelps doesn’t stick handle it and just gets rid of it.”

Down the stretch, BU had to kill off two NU power plays with less 8:00 to play. All night, BU had held the potent Husky power play in check, but never was that more apparent than the two kills late in the third. In total, BU limited the nation’s second best power play to just four shots on four power plays.

“That power play is as good as you will see and I thought we did a fantastic job killing,” said Quinn.

BU lost both Bobo Carpenter and John MacLoud in the first period and neither returned to action.

On the final goal, BU was on the power play after Clayton Keller drew a hooking call from Jeremy Davies with a strong rush through the middle. NU coach Jim Madigan was none too pleased with the call, saying “three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and BU getting a power play in overtime.”

Clearly, it was a reference to the call in the 2015 Beanpot championship game that led to Matt Grzelcyk’s game-winner on the man advantage. Earlier this year, though, NU was given a power play in overtime in NU’s come-from-behind 4-4 tie in November.

Game two is tomorrow night back here at Agganis.