Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Oettinger slams the door; BU blanks BC



Freshman goalie stopped all 34 shots he faced to backstop #3/4 BU to a 3-0 win over #10 Boston College before a packed house at Conte Forum. Authoring his fourth shutout of the season, the 6’4” netminder from Lakeville, Minnesota earned first-star honors as the Terriers completed their first sweep of a home-and-home weekend series against BC since 2001-02. 

The BU goal scorers were Patrick Curry, Bobo Carpenter and the red-hot Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, who has found the net seven times in the last four games. All three came on power plays. The win, BU’s sixth in a row, vaults the Terriers into second place in Hockey East, a point behind the Eagles but with two games in hand.
First period was scoreless but the Eagles had a 14-8 shot advantage and forced Oettinger to make several big saves.

BU got its first power play opportunity early in the second period and made it pay off with just a second left on the man advantage. BC was about to clear the puck out of their zone when Kieffer Bellows knocked it off Austin Cangelosi’s stick. Curry (photo) picked up the loose puck, wheeled into the right circle and wristed a shot past a screened Joe Woll, high to the stick side. BU kept up the pressure and outshot BC, 12-6, for the period.

Just like on Friday night, BU carried a one-goal lead into the third and BC pressed for an equalizer. The Terriers killed an early BC power play, giving them a perfect three-for-three on the penalty kills. This time BU didn’t go into a shell and produced several good scoring chances that Woll foiled. An Eagles’ slashing penalty with three minutes left put BU on a power play and a second infraction made it a five-on-three advantage. Following an offensive zone face-off win, Clayton Keller skated into the high slot and snapped a pass to JFK on the goal line to Woll’s right. He one-timed a shot off Woll for a 2-0 lead. With BU still on the power play and Woll pulled, Jordan Greenway took the puck away from BC and found Carpenter who skated into the Eagles’ zone and scored into the empty net.

Comparing the shutout win to Friday’s victory, Head Coach David Quinn said:

“Tonight I thought we were much quicker and more alert. Our power play delivered big. As important as your percentage is, the timing of a power play goal is equally important. If you’re going to have success, your special teams better be good.”

Over the two-game series, Oettinger saved 66 of 67 shots. In addition to his four complete-game shutouts, he blanked Northeastern on November 5th for 55:40, but had to leave the ice for a brief skate repair in a game that ended 3-0.

BU dominated in the faceoff circle by a 28-17 margin, largely due to JFK winning 17 of 20 draws.



● GoTerriers.com recap and comprehensive box score
● Post-game comments: Quinn and Oettinger
● Hockey East Online recap, box score, highlights
● Daily Free Press recap, Curry leads BU past BC
● College Hockey News recap
● The Heights recap
● SB Nation recap

Max Prawdzik stopped 32 shots to gain his second win in as many starts for Lone Star as the Brahmas edged the Odessa Jackalopes, 3-2.  Prawdzik plans to return to BU in the fall.
● NAHL box score

Looking ahead
2020 recruit Trevor Zegras assisted on both Avon Old Farms goals in a 2-2 tie with The Kent School. The sophomore wing leads the Winged Beavers with a 6-12-18 line in a dozen games.

Looking back
Jack Eichel scored his ninth and tenth goals in Buffalo’s 4-1 win against Dallas.
● NHL.com recap and video

Nick Bonino scored his seventh goal in the Penguins’ 8-7 overtime win that ended Washington’s nine-game winning streak.
● NHL.com recap and video

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