Gophers Hockey: Boston College wins shootout in 3-3 game

MINNEAPOLIS- Boston College scored 3 goals in a 71 second stretch midway through the first period and was able to withstand a late Gopher charge in overtime for a 3-3 tie Friday night. Edina, MN native Michael Sit scored two of the goals just 11 seconds apart on Minnesota goaltender Adam Wilcox (Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick) to turn what was a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

"We just kind of got away from our game plan," said University of Minnesota junior forward Travis Boyd about the first period meltdown. "We started off good, got two goals early, and just relaxed."

The top-ranked Gophers (4-0-1) sped off to a fast start. It took all of 30 seconds for freshman Hudson Fasching (Los Angeles Kings) to notch his third goal in as many weekends when the freshman put linemate Kyle Rau (Florida Panthers) past Boston College (2-1-1) goaltender Thatcher Demko, who made 36 saves.

Boyd then added his second of the season four minutes later when the Washington Capitals draft pick tapped in a Rau pass on the backdoor, then went to celebrate like Alexander Ovechkin off the glass.

Junior forward Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames) opened the scoring for BC 8:31 into the game on the power play before Sit's pair stunned the Mariucci Arena crowd.

"Our captain Patrick Brown pulled us aside and had a few words with us," Gaudreau said after going down 2-0. "I think that was a big game-changer in the first period. Having all the guys together on the bench and saying a few words to us."

Minnesota, playing with five defensemen after senior Jake Parenteau left the game in the first period with an upper body injury, turned things around in the second period right after Wilcox, who made 31 saves Friday, stopped a cross-ice shot on the Eagles' first shift of the period. Slowly but surely the hectic up and down play evened out. The Gophers began to push its pace. It paid off when Taylor Cammarata (New York Islanders) sniped a shot past Demko with 4:27 remaining in the second to tie the game at 3.

Cammarata nearly had the game winner in overtime. Both teams had chances in the third period and extra frame, but the breakaway chance was saved when BC freshman defenseman Ian McCoshedn (Panthers) grabbed the puck out of mid-air with 1:20 remaining in OT.

While the play stood on replay, it was hard to tell. Even legendary Boston College head coach Jerry York joked, saying "I have just one good eye."

Afterwards, the #5 Eagles won a shootout 2-1 in five rounds. It officially goes down as a tie in both the record book and Hockey East-Big Ten Challenge, but was a chance to entertain the crowd and prepare Minnesota for the Big Ten season.

And give an extra day off. Minnesota and Boston College resume the two game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT, which is okay with Gaudreau.

"You have two good teams playing against each other. It's nice to have the day off," he said.

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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation and College Hockey News. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate