Union rallies for second straight win

Box Score

by Ryan Fay

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – It was a case of deja vu Saturday at Messa Rink.

Union overcame a 2-0 deficit and rallied for a 3-2 win over Clarkson in the regular-season finale for both teams. Just 24 hours earlier, the Dutchmen overcame the same hole and had the same result against St. Lawrence.

The Dutchmen (16-16-2 overall, 8-13-1 ECAC Hokcey) finished tenth in the ECACH standings, and will open the league tournament next weekend when they travel to seventh-seeded Cornell for a best-of-three series.

Union goalie Colin Stevens makes one of his 21 saves
against Clarkson on Saturday at Messa Rink.
photo: Michael Tansey

Max Novak, who tied the game at 2-2 in the third period, thinks the two wins have given Union a boost entering the postseason.

“I don’t think we can ask for anything more than that,” he said. “To win those games, especially in come-from-behind fashion, was big for our team success because we’ve been fighting pretty hard and just haven’t been getting those goals. It was nice to get them this weekend.”

Freshman Tyler Hynes scored the game-winner at 11:38 of the third. Clarkson goalie Greg Lewis made a pad save on Nick DeSimone's shot from the right point, but the rebound found its way to Hynes, who lifted it past Lewis and into the back of the net.

"We've been preaching trying to get to the net and trying to create havoc there," said Hynes, a Guilderland native. "The puck squirts out, their goalie was down and I had a little open, so I put it there.”

Novak tied the score at 2-all at 3:49 of the third when he finished a series of tic-tac-toe passes with Daniel Ciampini and Ryan Scarfo that left Clarkson in a daze.

“When I grabbed the puck, I saw Ryan in front of the net and I just threw it to him,” Novak said. “I thought he would be able to stuff it a little bit. Instead, he’s a good playmaker, so he found ‘Champ’ in the middle. I thought ‘Champ’ was going to shoot it because he has enough goals this year. He made a nice play and spun it back to me. By that time, I’m not sure anybody knew what was going on, and I had an empty net.”

Union's rally began when Scarfo scored at 15:23 of the first. Scarfo was dragged down by Clarkson's Nic Pierog and crashed into the net along with the puck. Though initially ruled no-goal, the call was reversed after it was determined that the puck crossed the line first.

Clarkson (11-18-5, 8-11-3) scored twice in a span of just under eight minutes in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Kevin Tansey put the Golden Knights on the board at 3:45 after converting a Joe Zarbo pass while on a two-on-one break. Zarbo followed with a goal of his own at 11:29 after he poked the puck in after getting tripped in front of the crease.

Union picked up 21 saves from goaltender Colin Stevens. The senior from Niskayuna recorded his 50th career win in the process.

"Over the last four to six games, we've been playing well but we just haven't gotten the results," said Union assistant coach Joe Dumais, who spoke instead of an ailing Rick Bennett. "These last two games, we played well and we're starting to get the results now."

Union's goals



Postgame Audio

Union assistant coach Joe Dumais Download Music - Download Audio - Joe Dumais postgame - 2/28/15

Union forwards Tyler Hynes and Max Novak Embed Music Files - Listen Audio - Max Novak, Tyler Hynes postg...

Follow @UnionHockeyBlog