Boston University Advances to Frozen Four with 3-2 Win Against Minnesota Duluth
Senior Evan Rodrigues scores two goals for Terriers

Senior Evan Rodrigues scored two goals for the Terriers
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 7:17  BU1-0 EV Evan Rodrigues (20)Brandon Fortunato/17
2nd 0:37  MND1-1 EV Willie Raskob (4)Willie Corrin/6
2nd 3:32  BU2-1 EV Matt Lane (8)J.J. Piccinich/3, Chase Phelps/2
2nd 7:31  MND2-2 EV Kyle Osterberg (7) -
3rd 17:36  BU3-2 PP GW Evan Rodrigues (21)Matt Grzelcyk/27, Danny O'Regan/26
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd Final
Minnesota Duluth  0202
Boston University  1113
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd SOG
Minnesota Duluth  1113529
Boston University  1161330
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Minnesota Duluth (21-16-3)  0/0 3/6 0
Boston University (27-7-5)  1/2 1/2 0
Minnesota Duluth Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Kasimir Kaskisuo (L, 18-14-3)58:233 1051227
Empty Net1:370     
Boston University Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 Saves
Matt O'Connor (W, 24-3-4)60:002 1111527

MANCHESTER, N.H. - After bulldogging their way through the NCAA Northeast Regional, the Boston University men's ice hockey team is heading back to TD Garden. This time, it's for a chance at a national title.

The Terriers became the first team to punch a ticket to this year's Frozen Four thanks to a power-play goal by senior Evan Rodrigues with 2:24 remaining in regulation, giving BU a 3-2 win over Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Northeast Regional final on Saturday evening at Verizon Wireless Arena.

Rodrigues, who also scored the first goal of the game for his 60th point of the season, toe-dragged around a Bulldog defender in the right circle and beat freshman goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo glove side with a wrister for the late winner.

Duluth erased deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 before the middle of the second period. The teams went scoreless for over 30 minutes before Rodrigues, the Regional's Most Outstanding Player, sent the Terriers to their 22nd Frozen Four, where they will face North Dakota - the West Regional champion - in the national semifinals on April 9.

"I can't tell you how proud and happy I am for every guy on our team," said David Quinn, who became the first head coach in program history to win his first two NCAA tournament games. "We know there's a big challenge ahead of us, but we're certainly going to enjoy this over the next few days."

Junior Matt Lane also scored for the Terriers, who extended their win streak to seven games and improved to 27-7-5 on the season. In goal, junior Matt O'Connor recorded 27 saves to push his stellar record on the year to 24-3-4. Kaskisuo also made 27 saves, as the Terriers edged Duluth in shots, 30-29.

The decisive power-play chance was earned thanks to a drawn penalty by Rodrigues himself behind the UMD goal. Junior captain Matt Grzelcyk and classmate Danny O'Regan both assisted on the game-winner and the two joined Rodrigues on the All-Regional Team along with Kaskisuo and Willie Raskob, who scored Duluth's first goal.

The Terriers got on the board first just 7:17 into the contest when freshman Brandon Fortunato kept the puck in the zone at the left point and chipped it to Rodrigues. From between the hashmarks, the senior swung his stick at the puck and found the back of the net for his 20th goal and 60th point of the season.

Each team recorded 11 shots in the opening period before the Terriers took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Duluth got its first equalizer on its first scoring chance of the second.

From the right point, Raskob caught O'Connor out of position and had plenty of net to work with before scoring to make it 1-1 just 37 seconds into the second.

Lane allowed BU to regain the lead less than three minutes later when freshman J.J. Piccinich spotted him crashing the net at the right crease. The pass from the behind the net was perfectly placed, allowing Lane to stretch out and push the puck off the left post and in for his eighth tally of the season.

The Bulldogs (21-16-3) came back once again, however, when Kyle Osterberg started a rush and flung the puck on net soon after getting into the BU zone. O'Connor was unable to handle the puck and it trickled past him to make it a 2-2 affair at 7:31 of the second.

BU held a 13-5 shot advantage in the third period and got the winning goal off its second power-play of the contest. The Terriers did not allow the Bulldogs' power play to take the ice the entire night.