Union men's hockey wins season opener in dramatic fashion
0
10
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Union College men's hockey team opened the final season at Messa Rink with a 4-3 overtime win over Army West Point on Sunday night.
Junior John Prokop was the overtime hero for the Garnet Chargers only 58 seconds into the extra frame. Prokop initially took a shot that rebounded off of Evan Szary's pads. Classmate Colby MacArthur made a diving play to keep the puck in the offensive zone. Prokop scooped up the loose puck and faked out Szarzy for the game winner.
Union has won all three season openers under head coach Josh Hauge and the team is 3-0 in home openers.
Prokop (1-1-2) and first-year Ben Muthersbaugh (0-2-2) led the way for Union with two points each in the overtime victory. Junior Nate Hanley scored the first goal of the season for the Garnet Chargers and first-year Connor Smith registered his first collegiate goal in the win. For the second year in a row, junior Carter Korpi scored a short-handed goal against the Black Knights, the fourth of his career, and also scored in Union's opening game for the third year in a row.
Hanley opened the scoring only 2:23 into the game. Prokop picked up a rebound in the defensive end and chipped the puck to Hanley right in front of junior netminder Kyle Chauvette. Hanley took the puck up the ice on a three-on-two situation. A quick pass to Muthersbaugh near the right circle and back to Hanley saw the junior backhand it past Szary for the first goal of the season. The Black Knights responded just over ten minutes later with a goal by Joey Baez. A turnover in the defensive end saw Baez bury it unassisted to tie the game at one.
Union took a 2-1 lead at 5:33 of the second period courtesy of Smith's first collegiate goal. Senior captain Cullen Ferguson attempted a wraparound shot on Szary, but the netminder made the initial save. Smith picked up the rebound in front and buried it for the lead. The Black Knights responded with a power-play goal from Nik Hong at 8:09 of the middle frame. A too many men call on the home team at 15:21 saw Union head to the box. Korpi only needed 20 seconds on the penalty kill to put Union up 3-2.
The one goal lead did not last as Barron Woodring capitalized at 2:45 of the third period to tie the game at three apiece. Union put nine shots on goal in the third period, but Szary held on to force overtime.
Union outshot Army West Point 34-18. Chauvette made 15 saves to earn his first win of the season while Szary stopped 30 shots in the loss.
Union heads east this week for a pair of non-conference games in Mass. beginning with Stonehill College on Friday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Bridgewater Ice Arena.