A BU-tifull "snow bowl" win for Team USA

Brady Tkachuk scored a third-period goal and again in the shootout while Jake Oettinger held Canada at bay in the shootout as Team USA claimed a 4-3 win in the first-ever outdoor game in the World Junior Championships. Former Terrier Kieffer Bellows also scored in regulation—with an assist from Oettinger—and in the shootout.

For Oettinger, who was rostered on last year’s gold-medal U.S. squad but saw no game action, it was his first on-ice appearance in this year’s WJCs. He made 19 saves in the game at New Era Field in Buffalo, played with snow falling throughout the contest.

Canada scored twice on first period power plays before Bellows got the U.S. on the board late in the second. But after Oettinger turned aside a breakaway, Canada’s Boris Katchouk’s long wrister eluded a screened Oettinger to restore the two-goal lead.

Six minutes into the third period, Team U.S.A. cut the lead in half and 34 seconds later, Tkachuk got inside position on his Terrier teammate and Canadian defenseman Dante Fabbro to bang home Casey Mittelstadt’s pass from behind the net.

A great ending to a historic game at @newerafield. #USAWJC 🇺🇸

Recap: https://t.co/4bBqbKoBX7 pic.twitter.com/tMmVIqy1on

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) December 30, 2017

After a scoreless overtime, Bellows and Tkachuk converted on Team USA’s first two shootout attempts and Oettinger did the rest, denying four Canadian attempts.

Brady Tkachuk with a slick shootout goal and awesome celebration outdoors pic.twitter.com/czpsF2mScZ

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) December 29, 2017

The preliminary round  for Group A concludes on Sunday with Team U.S.A. skating against Kasper Kotkansalo and Finland, while Canada will face Denmark. Finland meets Slovakia today.

● USA Hockey recap and photo gallery ;

● IIHF recap and box score

● NHL.com recap and video highlights

● Post-game comments (including Tkachuk, Oettinger)

● USA Today recap

● College Hockey News recap

Looking back

All day. pic.twitter.com/fvZlyW5w2k

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 30, 2017

Jack Eichel’s 14^th and 15^th goals erased a 3-1 New Jersey lead and the Sabres went on to defeat the Devils, 4-3 in overtime.

● NHL.com recap and video highlights

Danny O’Regan scored his seventh goal in AHL San Jose’s 6-5 OT win against Stockton.

Sahir Gill scored his 10^th goal in AHL Rochester’s 2-0 win against Toronto.

Chris Bourque assisted on three goals in Hershey’s 4-2 win against Springfield. Bourque, who leads the AHL in scoring with 39 points (11G, 28A) in 34 games, is a candidate for the 2018 US Olympic team roster, which will be announced on January 1. 

Women’s Team

Terriers close out the year with a pair of games against Princeton at historic Hobey Baker Rink.  Today’s game begins at 3 p.m. and the New Year’s Eve contest starts at 1 p.m. With a pair of wins, BU (7-9-3) can even its record. BU will be without leading scorers Victoria Bach and Rebecca Leslie who are skating with Team Canada at the 2018 Nations Cup in Germany, beginning on Wednesday.

● GoTerriers.com preview, Game Notes, Live Stats, BU GameDay

● Ivy League Network live stream