Dogs Season Ends

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

It looked liked the University of Minnesota Duluth had weathered the storm while killing off a late third-period penalty Saturday night. But, with one second to go on a Boston University power play, Evan Rodrigues scored his second goal of the night and that proved to be the game-winner for the Terriers in their 3-2 Northeast Regional championship victory over the Bulldogs in Manchester, N.H. Boston University now moves on to the NCAA Frozen Four while the Bulldogs finish the year at 21-16-3 overall.

UMD never led once the entire game, but did come back to tie the score twice, with the last time coming 7:31 into the second period. The Bulldogs also did not have a power play while Boston University (27-7-5) went 1-for-2 with the man advantage.

“It was a great hockey game,” said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. “It was just unfortunate the way it ended for us. There was a lot of back and forth play, zone time for both teams, but they made the play at the end on the power play and they’re moving on and we’re not.”

Rodrigues got the game’s lone first-period goal, taking a baseball-like swing at a bouncing puck in the slot and whacking it into the back of the UMD net at the 7:17 mark. The Bulldogs drew even just 37 seconds into the period when sophomore defenseman Willie Raskob teed up a shot from the right point for his fourth goal of the year (and career) and second score in as many nights. It took the Terriers a little under two minutes to answer, however, after Matt Lane cut in front of the Bulldog goal wrapped a shot around a sprawling Kasimir Kaskisuo. With 12:29 to go in that same period, Kyle Osterberg threw a wrister on net near the top of the right face off circle that Boston University goalie Matt O’Connor mishandled, deflecting off his glove before trickling in behind him. Rodrigues’ power play goal came with 2:24 to go in regulation on a nifty move and shot from the edge of the right faceoff circle that hit the far corner of the Bulldog goal.

“I was surprised (at the holding call on junior defenseman Andy Welinski with under five minutes to play), said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. “There are things you can’t control and all we could control at that point was killing off the penalty — and we almost did. They ended up making a great play and scoring the winning goal. We tried to get our guys focues on the penalty kill, try to keep the score tied and then win in regulation in overtime.”

Both Kaskisuo, who made 27 saves (including 12 in the final period) and closed out his stellar collegiate debut season with an 18-14-3 record, was named to the six-member Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team along with Raskob and junior center Tony Cameranesi. Cameranesi had two points in the Bulldogs’ 4-1 takedown of the University of Minnesota in Friday’s semifinals.

The loss marked the collegiate farewell for UMD’s four seniors — right wingers Adam Krause and Justin Crandall, senior defenseman Derik Johnson and goaltender Alex Fons.

“Our seniors gave us great leadership throughout the whole year,” said Iafallo. “They showed how to play hockey the right way and it was always fun being with them. I’m proud of those guys.”