29 December

1971: Boston University meet Minnesota in the opening game of the Syracuse Invitational Tournament at the Onondaga County War Memorial Auditorium. Despite being 2-9, the Gophers gave the 7-0-1 Terriers all they could handle, taking BU to double-overtime, before bowing, 4-3.

The first period was scoreless, but not without action, as BU outshot Minnesota 18-7. Gopher goalie Brad Shelstead continued to stop everything the Terriers threw at him in the second, keeping BU off the scoreboard as Minnesota struck first on a fluke goal at 8:23 the period. Gopher Bruce Carlson, flat on the ice, stuck out his stick and lofted the puck towards the Terrier net. The puck bounced off defenseman Bob Murray’s chest and past BU goalie Dan Brady into the net. Just under two minutes later Terrier Steve Dolloff won a faceoff to the left of Shelstead, skated across the front of the net and deposited the puck into the corner of goal to tied the game at 1-all.

The Gophers retook the lead 33 seconds into the third when Doug Peltier got control of a bouncing rebound and jammed home a short shot from close in front of the BU goal. Dolloff tied the game again at 6:19 when he took a center pass from Pete Thornton and scored his second goal of the night. At 11:55 Minnesota yet again took the lead. Mike Polich tipped in a shot from Dean Blais on the point while on the powerplay. With time running out on the Terriers Dave Wisener stole the puck at the Gopher blueline and fed it to Don Cahoon. Cahoon skated in alone and sailed a 20-footer past Shelstead’s stick side to tie the game, 3-3, with 52 seconds left in regulation. After a scoreless first overtime Terrier Captain John Danby ended it just 47 seconds into the second overtime when he took a pass from Ric Jordan, skated in on Shelstead and shot a 30-footer into the net on the short side, under the Gopher’s glove.

Shelstead was sensational all night long, making 45 saves, including stoning Danby on a breakaway earlier in the game. Brady earned the win for the Terriers, making 21 saves for the game.