BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Trine University men's hockey team erased a three-goal deficit to force overtime before ultimately winning 6-5 against their hosts from Buffalo State University.
The Bengals scored the first two goals of the contest, the first on a power-play opportunity in the fifth minute and the second in the tenth minute. It took to the final minutes of the opening period for the Thunder to put their first goal on the board. While moving into the offensive zone, Alexander Babich made a pass to the top of the near circle connecting with Logan Furstenau. The sophomore fired a shot from the high slot that was turned aside. The rebound landed just outside the crease letting Tyler Blanchard was able to score the goal.
Trine tied the contest with their first goal of the second period. In the fifth minute of the period the two teams battled in the neutral zone for control of the puck with Buffalo State eventually pushing into their offensive zone. It was shortlived success with Lem Vardy causing a turnover and immediately throwing the puck out of the zone. His clear attempt turned into a spectacular pass after banking off the boards into the offensive zone. Brendan Hill chased the play perfectly and ended up with a breakaway chance. His first shot was saved but hung in the air behind the goalie, allowing the junior to slap it home.
In response the Bengals scored three goals over the next ten minutes to take what seemed like a commanding 5-2 lead. The stretch drove Kyle Kozma from the net with 16 saves to his name. Ronnie Petrucci took over for the remainder and finished the game with eight saves and the first win of his young career.
The Thunder started their comeback attempt in the 16th minute of the period. The team broke through the defense for an offensive chance with Bobby Price firing a shot that was saved to the side. Drew Welsch gummed up the defense enough to allow Sam Antenucci to hold the puck inside the zone. The junior skated along the blue line and then up the near wall before reversing field back to the point and making a pass to the far circle. Josh Wright was waiting to fire a shot that went directly into the top of the net.
Two minutes later the team made it a one-goal game. This time Ethan Janda made a pass along the boards to behind the Buffalo State net. From there Blanchard quickly passed it back to Janda just on the far side of the net. The sophomore's shot was saved with the rebound coming to the near side. Hill buried his second goal of the day on the right side of the goalie.
The lone goal of the third went to the Thunder and tied the game at five. Blanchard intercepted the puck at center ice skating to the far boards inside the offensive zone before making a spectacular pass through the defense back to the near circle. Hill received that pass before forwarding it to Janda near the crease. Hill followed the pass around a scrum of bodies and poked the puck home for his hat trick.
After ten minutes of scoreless hockey the game headed to overtime and down to three men on the ice for each side. Halfway through the period, Babich collected the puck in the defensive zone off a save by Petrucci. The freshman made a quick pass to Michael DiPietra who went the length of the ice, weaving his way to the far side of the net. His shot on the short side of the goal somehow squeezed by the goalie for the victory.
The team improves to 11-1-1 overall following the victory. Trine will finish the weekend series against Buffalo State tomorrow, Saturday, December 14 with the opening puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m.
