Benilde-St. Margaret's Boys' Hockey

Benilde-St. Margarets' 3-2 overtime win over Hill-Murray had several story lines, none of which appeared would happen until late in the game.

Rob Ankeny, who suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Pioneers last season, despite a then career-high 36-save effort, started Tuesday's game after Jacob Meyers was forced out due to a broken finger.

Freshman Christian Horn and sophomore Pat Steinhauser accounted for all three BSM goals. Horn's game-winner was his second overtime goal of the season.

All of this came after Hill-Murray scored goals 30 seconds apart in the final minute of the second period to take a 2-0 lead.

"I really don’t think you can say enough about the effort that Robby Ankeny gave this team tonight," head coach Ken Pauly said. "He was very calm and in control the entire night.

"I said at the beginning of the year that we had three goalies that could start for most teams in the state. Ankeny’s performance is proof of that."

Ankeny stopped the first 24 shots he faced through 33 minutes. However, it was the 34th minute that bit the Red Knights.

With just 45 seconds remaining in the second period, Ryan Holler went the length of the ice with puck before Ankeny stopped his shot. However, Jack Walsh followed him and banged home the rebound for the game's first goal.

It appeared the game would head into the third period as a 1-0 affair when Jeff Westerhaus blocked a shot near the Pioneer blue line and Ben Bahe tipped the puck to Tyler Zepeda and the duo began a 2-on-0 breakaway.

A delayed penalty was called when Zepeda was slashed in slot in Red Knights' end of the ice but Bahe trailed the play, quickly moved the puck from backhand to forehand and put the puck over Ankeny's left pad with five seconds remaining on the clock.

It's often said that a two-goal lead is the hardest in hockey to protect and BSM proved that axiom to be correct on this night.

The home team began pressuring Hill-Murray heavily in the final period but were unable to solve Pioneer goalie Tim Shaughnessy until nearly seven minutes into the final period.

With a faceoff outside the top of the left faceoff circle in Hill-Murray's, Steinhauser was able to tip the puck forward for Horn to collect. After taking a couple of strides took him inside the circle, Horn snapped off a shot that beat Shaughnessy over his glove and found its way inside the far post.

Despite a 14-shot third period, it appeared that the home team may not get the equalizer, but a power-play opportunity, with just over three minutes to play in the third period, set the stage.

Brett Patterson's shot from the right point was tipped by Horn into Shaughnessy's pads. Steinhauser came in on the left side and ended a nine-game goal-scoring drought by banging home the rebound to tie the score with 2:42 showing on the clock.

BSM ended regulation, and began overtime, on another power play but failed to convert to before the opportunity ended prematurely due to a Red Knight penalty. The Pioneers were unable to score on their fourth power-play chance of the game and the game continued.

Hill-Murray won 43 of 77 faceoffs in the game but had one loss prove costly and the finaly one proved to be the nail in the coffin.

Once again, Steinhauser won a draw in the Pioneers end, this one in the left circle. Once again, Horn stepped in to collect the puck, kicked it to his stick and, from low in the circle, got off a shot that beat Shaughnessy past his blocker on the short side.

"We knew that both Christian Horn and Pat Steinhauser had talent," Pauly said. "But they seem to be coming up with these big plays at some pretty big moments."

The game-winning goal, for Horn, was his 10th goal of the season, making him the first freshman during Pauly's 16-years as BSM career to reach double-digits in goals.

With the win, the Red Knights are now 12-3-0 as they return to North Suburban Conference, Thursday, Jan. 22, to take on Totino-Grace at Parade Ice Gardens. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.