Monday, February 7, 2011

Dutchmen Complete Weekend Sweep, Pallos Dangles Bobcats in Union's 3-2 OT Victory over Quinnipiac

After an amazing victory at Princeton, the Union Dutchmen traveled north to Hamden, Connecticut to play at Quinnipiac. I unfortunately could not attend this game as I had to be back in Albany to work the Devils game against the Manchester Monarchs.

The Quinnipiac Bobcats offense coming into this matchup were led by sophomore forward Jeremy Langlois who led the team with 18 offensive points and 13 goals on the season.


The Dutchmen fell down early, rendering the first goal in their third consecutive road game. Later in the period, on an ensuing man advantage, senior forward John Simpson cut into the offensive zone on a rush up ice, drew two defenders, and found brother Wayne alone in the slot. Wayne Simpson beat sophomore goaltender Eric Hartzel with a low wrist shot between the pads to tie the game at 9:33.


The lead was soon taken back by Quinnipiac, just after their own power play opportunity expired. With senior forward Andrew Buote in the penalty box for boarding, Mike Dalhuisen skated off the bench and fired a wrist shot on net that John Dunbar deflected past Kinkaid at 12:26.


Entering the third period, the Dutchmen trailed 2-1. In similar previous occasions, the team carried a struggling 1-5-0 record. But, senior captain and defensemen Brock Matheson soon took measures into his own hands, tieing the game with a wristshot into an open net from a cross-ice pass from sophomore Ryan Forgaard.


The game proceeded into overtime. In front of a jam packed TD Bank Sports Center, senior forward Justin Pallos scored the game-winning goal at 2:44 of the extra period. I was sitting in the library with Kelly Zajac yesterday and asked him how to describe the play and he responded, "Man, it was sick. He just skated forward cut across and cut back and sniped it. Great goal. Palli dangled out there."


The goal set up Union's second third period comeback of the season, and its 20th win of the season, the second time in the Division I era that the Dutchmen have reached the 20-win plateau.


Union outshot Quinnipiac 38-25 for the game and went 1-for-4 on the power play, while holding the Bobcats scoreless in three power play chances. Kinkaid (19-7-2) made 23 stops to earn his 19th win of the season, tying the single-season record set by Corey Milan in the 2008-2009 season.


For game recaps, please check the links below:






Thanks for reading!
-JZolot
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