Eichel, O'Regan pace 6-1 win--UPDATED

Rebounding from Friday night’s overtime tie, the #2 Terriers recorded their 12^th win of the season—and first of 2015—scoring three goals in each of the last two periods en route to a 6-1 win over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center.

Freshman Jack Eichel and junior Danny O’Regan each scored a pair, while senior Evan Rodrigues and freshman Nikolas Olsson also added goals. Eichel, with four points, has a team-high—and nation’s best— 31 points (10G, 21A), while O’Regan now has a team-high 14 goals, which is tied for second best in Division 1.

Coach David Quinn tweaked the forward lines moving Rodrigues to the top line with Ahti Oksanen moving to the second line with Robbie Baillargeon and Cason Hohmann. The revamped first line finished the night with five goals, five assists and a +4 rating.

Freshman Connor LaCouvee, making his fourth regular-season start, turned aside 32 shots to improve his record to 2-1-1 and lower his GAA to 1.98 and his save percentage to .937.

After a scoreless first period in which the Terriers had a small edge, the Badgers scored first, as Jedd Soleway banged home a rebound five seconds after a Wisconsin power play expired.  Three minutes later, Eichel evened the score, dangling through defenders and then wristing a shot home with assists from O’Regan and Rodrigues. BU took the lead midway through the second when Olsson took a pass from Nick Roberto and whacked home his own rebound for his fourth of the season. Then, with BU on a power play, Eichel scored on a hard wrist shot from the center point with Oksanen screening the Badger goalie. Rodrigues and senior captain Matt Grzelcyk picked up the assists.

O’Regan scored twice in the third period. On a power play, he tipped home an Eichel slap shot, with Oksanen also recording a helper. Four minutes later on the penalty kill, O’Regan and Eichel broke in against a single defender with the junior from Needham, Mass., finishing. Rodrigues closed out the scoring, toe-dragging Badger goalie Joel Rumpel out of position before firing the puck home. TJ Ryan picked up his first point of the season on the play.

Assessing Eichel’s performance, Coach David Quinn said:

“I didn’t think he played well (Friday) and, more importantly, he didn’t think he played well. So I knew he was going to bust out for a big night sooner or later. We were very opportunistic tonight and he led the charge in that department.”

►In addition to scoring two power play goals and a short-hander, BU killed all seven penalties, limiting Wisconsin to six shots on goal.

►Former BU Coach Jack Parker made the trip to Wisconsin and was Bernie Corbett’s guest on Friday night’s Terrier Sports Radio Network webcast.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

● Post game comments (video): Quinn, O’Regan

● Video highlights

● Daily Free Press recap

● Boston Hockey Blog Pluses & Minuses

● SB Nation recap

● Madison.com recap

Looking ahead

2015 recruit Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson scored a shoot-out goal and had an assist during regulation play in Omaha’s 4-3 win over Sioux Falls. Forsbacka-Karlsson heads into the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game with 33 points (10g 23a) in 30 games this season.

2015 recruit Maxim Letunov (photo) assisted on a pair of Youngstown goals in the Phantoms 4-2 win against Green Bay.

2015 recruit Robert Carpenter scored his 13^th goal of the season, a power play score, in Sioux City’s 7-3 loss to Bloomington.

Looking back

Former Terrier blueliner assistant captain Brian Strait (photo) scored his first goal of the season and recorded his third assist in the Islanders’ 5-2 win against Columbus.

●  Recap and video highlights

Kevin Shattenkirk has been selected for the NHL All-Star game for the first time in his career. The former BU All-American and captain, who leads the NHL in power play points with 23, picked up his 30^th assist in the Blues’ 5-4 shootout win against Carolina. He leads all defensemen in assists and is fifth overall.

● Recap and video highlights  

 

Former BU All-American Colin Wilson scored his 12^th goal of the season and added an assist to earn second-star honors in Nashville’s 3-1 win over Minnesota. Ex-Terrier Charlie Coyle scored the Wild’s lone goal and was named third star.

●   Recap and video highlights

Women’s Team

Five Terriers scored goals and freshman Victoria Bach had three points to lead #4 BU past Maine 5-3 in a matinee game at Walter Brown Arena.  After Bach’s 10^th goal of the season gave BU a 1-0 lead after one, the Terriers extended the lead to 4-1 on goals by Dakota Woodworth (2), Rebecca Leslie (6) and captain Marie-Philip Poulin (12).

The Black Bears closed the gap to 4-3 with two scores in a 26-second span in the third period before Rebecca Russo’s power-play goal produced the final margin. Freshman Erin O’Neil stopped 26 shots to record her fifth win of the season.

● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score

● Video highlights