The pizza was old and delivered the day before.
Austan-Bellefeuille's final college hockey game actually lasted two games and an additional 15 minutes.
The Curry College graduate student assisted on a third-period goal in a 3-3 tie against top-seeded Hobart College in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals Saturday night in Geneva, New York.
“Little did I know at that point that I would be playing four more periods of hockey,” Bellefeuille, a Framingham native, said Monday afternoon.
In the end, the team ended up playing until Sunday morning. Hobart won with 4:43 left in the fourth overtime in a game that included 149 shots on goal, 162 faceoffs and 98 saves from Curry goaltender Shane Soderwall.
The game time – 135 minutes, 17 seconds – ranks second in Division III history behind the 138 minutes, 38 seconds played by Gusabs and Augsburg in 2010. Only four Division I games have lasted longer, including one hour, 51 minutes, 42 seconds. The University of Massachusetts and Notre Dame faced each other in a 5-OT game in 2015.
“It was one of the craziest games I've ever played,” said Bellefeuille, who went to bed just before 3 a.m. after eating a not-so-fresh pizza. “It was a game like something out of a movie.”
Hobart (26-2-1) is the defending national champion and also defeated Curry 5-1 in the national quarterfinals last season. On Saturday, 12th-seeded Curry led 2-0 and the Statesmen pulled ahead early in the third period, with Bellefeuille setting up Tao Ishizuka's tying goal with 6:45 left in regulation.
As extra time progressed, Bellefeuille and her teammates remained positive despite the deficit. Curry's first appearance in the Frozen Four was just one goal away.
“The atmosphere in the locker room was really good,” Bellefeuille said. “Our trainers gave us lots of electrolyte packages to keep us hydrated. Everyone on the team had the same belief that we would get through and get it done, and that kept me going during breaks. Our energy and spirits stayed pretty high.”
“Once we tied the game and went into overtime, we were one shot away from the Frozen Four,” Curry coach Peter Roundy said. “So it was easy to understand why our players were so motivated to give their all. It was a once-in-a-lifetime game to be a part of.”
Hobart will play Utica in the national semifinals Thursday in Hartford. He also plays for Trinity College, as does sophomore defenseman Kevin McKay from Franklin.
“It still stings a little bit, especially since this was my last college hockey game, but I believe we've put everything behind us,” Bellefeuille said. “I think we earned a lot of respect in the D3 hockey world. I think (Hobart) is the best team in the country. I think they'll probably win again, but we beat the best team in the country four times over. I take my hat off to them for taking it to overtime.”
Austan Bellefeuille's brain injury resulted in a 'different outlook'
Bellefeuille played two seasons of hockey at Framingham High School under coach Paul Speer before transferring to Hoosac School in Hoosick Falls, New York, where he made the all-conference team as a senior. He played three seasons at Nicholls College and two seasons at Curry.
But in 2012, when Bellefeuille was 13 years old, his life changed when he was hit in the back of the head by a baseball before a tournament game at Belmont. He underwent emergency surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, suffered a traumatic brain injury, and spent several months in the hospital or in a rehabilitation facility. He was unable to play hockey for a year, but made a full recovery.
A year without hockey:More than just a resurrection
As a sophomore at Framingham High School, Bellefeuille led the Flyers to the No. 3 seed in the MIAA South, winning 16 games. He wore No. 13, which was retired in honor of his uncle, Blake Bellefeuille, who was inducted into the Boston University Hall of Fame and played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.
“Austan always had the skills to be a great athlete, but the head injury created a serious setback and difficult times from which most people would not have recovered.” said Spear, who is currently Framingham's athletic director. “It really shows his resilience and grit.”
Bellefeuille ran and raised money for the Massachusetts Brain Injury Association at last summer's Falmouth Road Race. Her mother, Karen Dmohovsky, a nurse, also attended the race, and the experience is part of a new perspective for her son.
“(After the injury) my outlook on life definitely changed,” Bellefeuille said. “I consider myself very lucky. There aren't many people who have been able to get back into their sport with an injury like I did, or who are the same person they were before their injury.”
“He has a very unique life story and as a result has a great perspective on life,” Roundy said.
A career in law enforcement, then a professional career
Ms. Bellefeuille earned her bachelor's degree in the fall, majoring in criminal justice. He is currently taking graduate courses at Curry College and is planning a career in law enforcement, with the goal of working for the Boston Police Department or State Police.
He said Framingham Police Officer Kathy McGrath, a 37-year veteran, inspired his career choice.
“She got me through a tough time in middle school. I've always admired law enforcement and first responders,” Bellefeuille said.
Bellefeuille wants some experience in professional hockey first, most likely in Europe. If he ends up playing for a team overseas, he'll be talking quite a bit about his final college game.
“It's an absurd game that I'll never forget. It was just one period after another,” he said. “It's definitely something that this group and I personally will remember for a long time.”
Tim Dumas is a multimedia journalist with the Daily News. Contact him at attdumas@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimDumas.
