Patrick Reusse: All these years later, goalie returns

The Frozen Four for NCAA Division III men's hockey will be played next weekend at Ridder Arena. The participating teams will be arriving from Wisconsin (St. Norbert), Michigan (Adrian), New York (Oswego State) and Vermont (Norwich).

That field makes for a strong chance the event will receive minimal attention from the Twin Cities mainstream media.

"There's a lot going on, so I'm sure there won't be much coverage," B.J. O'Brien said. "I'm still excited to be playing in Minnesota -- to have a chance to play in front of family and friends."

In O'Brien's case, the local support might include the wives or husbands of the friends that he grew up with in Lakeville.

"Yeah, I went to a few weddings last year, and I'll be at a few more this summer," said O'Brien, with a laugh.

O'Brien is the senior goaltender for St. Norbert. He was named the player of the year in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association. He accomplished this at age 25, after two seasons and three teams in junior hockey, after two seasons at St. Cloud State, and after a transfer to St. Norbert in the fall of 2008.

"You find quite a few stories like mine in D-III hockey," O'Brien said. "You see guys getting started at 21, 22, after a couple of years of juniors, after it didn't work out at a D-I school, and we were looking for a chance to play."

"First of all, the game is fun," O'Brien said. "And you work so hard to get a chance, you want to get the most out of it. You're doing what you love. There's a deep passion for the game, and you're going to play as long as someone will have you."

O'Brien was another high school grad with a dream when he landed with the Indiana Ice of the USHL in the fall of 2004. Halfway through the year, he was traded -- not only to another team (the Central Texas Marshals) but to another junior league (North American).

The Marshals were located in Belton, Texas, a half-hour north of Austin. "The NAHL wasn't as good of a league, and we were the worst team in the NAHL," O'Brien said. "We went 1-24 while I was there, went through about 90 guys, and the team folded at the end of the season.

"I split time with another goalie. The one win we had, he was in the net. The other goalie and I figured it out one time: On an average night, I was facing 55 shots, 13 power plays and five open breakaways.

"It was bad for the ego but a great learning experience. I was a lot tougher hockey player after being there. Plus, it was 75 degrees in April, so I liked that."

He had visited St. Norbert while playing junior hockey. He called a friend connected to the Green Knights and said, "I'm ready to transfer." Ten minutes later, O'Brien's phone rang, and it was St. Norbert coach Tim Coghlan.

O'Brien alternated with another sophomore, Blake Bashor, in 2008-09. Before the next season, a decision was made to pick a No. 1 goalie, and O'Brien won the competition.

He was 24-3-3 with a 1.61 goals-against last season. He takes a 20-2-1 record and a 1.55 goals-against for this season into Friday's 7 p.m. semifinal against Norwich. Ah, Norwich -- the team that beat St. Norbert 2-1 in double overtime for the national title a year ago, when a rebound on its 72nd shot of the night got past O'Brien.

"Norwich is a D-III powerhouse ... three national titles in the past decade," O'Brien said. "If people want to see a great hockey game, we're going to have one."

Before you go, B.J., one more question: Did you play for North or South in Lakeville?