The Terrier Hockey Fan Blog: O'Regan game-winner in 2OT sends BU to Beanpot title game

In the longest game in the 63-year history of the Beanpot, Danny O’Regan’s goal at 2:18 of the second overtime (video) punched BU’s ticket to the championship game as the #2/3 Terriers rallied once again to defeat #4 Harvard, 4-3. In next Monday's late game, BU will face Northeastern, which edged BC on a late third-period goal, 3-2.

The Crimson held a 3-1 lead midway through the middle period, but BU scored twice late in the period—on goals by freshman Nikolas Olsson and junior Ahti Oksanen—that knotted the score at three apiece. Forty-two minutes without a goal followed as the teams battled through the scoreless third period and first overtime, before O’Regan’s heroics gave BU its first victory over Harvard since 2012 and produced his first collegiate win over older brother Tommy, a Crimson forward.

BU’s high-scoring Rodrigues-Eichel-O’Regan line, with 103 points going into the game, was held off the scoreboard until O’Regan’s game-winner, which came on the trio’s 25^th shot of the evening.

“I just put my head down and went to the net,” said O’Regan of the game-winner. “I knew [Rodrigues] would find me. That’s exactly what he did.”

After senior assistant captain Cason Hohmann opened the scoring late in the first period, Harvard scored the next three goals: Kyle Criscuolo in the first, Alex Kerfoot early in the second and then Sean Malone eight minutes later. Malone’s goal came on a delayed penalty to BU, despite a touch by the Terriers that should have whistled the play over. Harvard would later have a disallowed goal in the scoreless third period.

“We settled down during a TV timeout and talked about the fact you don’t need to get two goals in one shift,” said Coach David Quinn. “You just have to be more responsible and trust each other. As the second period went on, we started playing more responsible and smarter hockey.”

On BU’s second goal, Olsson sent Nick Roberto in alone on a breakaway that Harvard’s Steve Michalek saved, but Olsson regained the puck behind the net and set up another Roberto shot. The rebound was gathered by Olsson, who slid it into the net. With less than half a minute left in the second period, Robbie Baillargeon and Hohmann set up Oksanen in the right circle and he rifled a bullet past Michalek.

BU outshot Harvard 34 to 14 in the third period and first overtime, but couldn’t beat Michalek. The Terriers resumed the attack in the second OT with five shots in the first two minutes. Then Rodrigues (photo), continuing his timely heroics, intercepted a pass near the Harvard blueline, scooted into the left circle and backhanded a pass to a wide-open O’Regan in front of the goal. The right wing from Needham made no mistake and lifted the puck past Michalek on the game’s 101^st shot.

Junior netminder Matt O’Connor stopped 31 Crimson shots and made several critical saves in the third period and first overtime. He raised his record for this season to 14-3-3.

►The game was the fourth in Beanpot history to go to double overtime.

►With his two assists, Rodrigues takes over the national lead with 27 helpers. He’s tied with Eichel for the top assists-per-game mark with 1.08.

►O’Regan’s goal was his team-high 18^th, one ahead of Oksanen.

►Harvard goalie Michalek broke the previous Beanpot record of 52 saves set by BC’s Jim Barton in the 1970 championship game won by the Terriers. BU trailed the Eagles by a 4-2 margin going into the final period; but junior forward Wayne Gowing scored a third-period hat trick to pull BU even and then recorded the game-winner.

►In 2012, NESN offered its take on the top 60 Beanpot Moments. 1-20, 21-40, 41-60