Garnet Hockey Report: Novak continues to burn Brown in 4-3 win (with 4 videos)

Box Score

by Ryan Fay

When Union forward Max Novak was looking for places to play college hockey, he put in applications at Brown and Union.

Union accepted Novak, but Brown turned him down.

Novak has made Brown regret that decision ever since.

He continued his run of success against Brown on Friday, breaking a 3-3 tie with a goal at 1:01 of the third period to lift #4/6 Union to a 4-3 win.

The victory kept the Dutchmen (18-6-3 overall, 12-3-0 ECAC Hockey) in first-place in ECACH by one point over Quinnipiac, which beat Clarkson 6-3.

In last season's ECACH championship game, Novak was the difference, collecting two goals including the game-winner as Union beat Brown 3-1 to win a second consecutive Whitelaw Cup.

“Max has always been a kid, since his freshman year, that the bigger the game, the better he is,” said Union acting head coach Joe Dumais. “He’s scored big goals since his freshman year. Obviously, tonight was no different.”

Novak has four goals and an assist in six career games against the Bears. Three of the four goals were game-winners. But he stopped short of saying he is out for revenge against Brown (9-10-3, 6-8-1).

“I was looking at Brown as I was looking at Union, too,” Novak said. “I applied, and I didn’t get in. It wasn’t the best situation. Everything happens for a reason.”

Novak's latest dagger against Brown was something of a surprise. After receiving a pass from defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, Novak quickly fired a shot from the right circle that appeared to catch Bears goaltender Tyler Steel off guard.

“It was a pretty normal set breakout,” Novak said. “Shayne gave me a nice pass. I just took it wide. I don’t think the goalie was really expecting to shoot it from where I was. It caught him short side.”

The shot transpired so quickly that even Union acting head coach Joe Dumais didn't see it.

“I was talking to one of the players on the bench, and I heard the [puck hit] the post,” said Dumais. “I said, ‘That must be a good sign,’ ”

Union grabbed a 1-0 lead with a power play goal from defenseman Mat Bodie at 6:18 of the opening period.

Less than a minute later, Union defenseman Charlie Vasaturo was tossed from the game after receiving a five-minute major for contact to the head when he hit Brown's Massimo Lamacchia.

The Bears struck twice on the ensuing power play. Mark Naclerio evened the game at 1-1 at 11:14 before Nick Lappin gave the Bears a 2-1 advantage just 15 seconds later. The tallies marked the end of Union's streak of 23 consecutive penalty kills.

“We probably had a 45-second lapse on the penalty kill, and it cost us two goals,” said Bodie.

Union regained the lead in the second with markers from forwards Daniel Ciampini and Sam Coatta. The edge was short lived, as Brown's Zack Pryzbek tied the game at 3-3 in the closing seconds of the period when he knocked home a rebound off a shot from Garnet Hathaway.

After Novak's goal early in the third, Brown's best chance came on an elbowing penalty against Gostisbehere at 11:20. With Vasaturo already tossed from the game, the Dutchmen were left with only four defenseman during the penalty kill.

"I thought the guys really battled hard," Bodie said. "With ‘Ghost’ going into the box, other D-men stepped up, getting some PK time they normally don’t get it. That’s what it takes to win. You have to have guys step up in tough spots.”

“It was a huge kill,” Dumais added “Guys battled hard. I know Coatta had a couple of big blocks on that kill. Other guys battled, as well. It was a huge turning point, I thought.”

Union returns to action when it hosts 13th-ranked Yale tonight at 7 at Messa Rink.

POSTGAME VIDEO

Union forward Max Novak