Jan. 20, 2006

Stats

DETROIT - The Wayne State University men's hockey team (4-13-4, 1-5-3 CHA) twice rallied from one-goal deficits and skated to a 2-2 overtime tie against visiting Robert Morris University (5-14-2, 2-6-2 CHA) Friday night at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum.

In the fifth meeting between these two schools, tonight's overtime decision marked the third contest that could not be decided in regulation. The Colonials lead 1-0-2 in extra session meetings, while WSU holds a 2-0-0 advantage in games determined in regulation.

In an evenly played first period that saw both teams record nine shots on goal and go zero-for-three on the power play, he team did have a solid scoring chance. RMU's Tom Biondich forced Warrior goalie Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders) to make a pad save just 80 seconds into the contest. With 9:15 remaining in the opening stanza, WSU junior forward Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers) ripped a shot that beat Colonial goalie Christian Boucher but rang off the crossbar.

Three goals were scored in less than a three minute span during the second period. The guests took a 1-0 lead at the 7:39 mark as Chris Margott finished off a two-on-one by taking a feed from Brett Hopfe and beating Hooper. Aaron Clarke started the scoring play.

Wayne State trailed for only 44 seconds as sophomore forward Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) ended a seven-game pointless streak by putting in his own rebound past Boucher. Sophomore forward Adam Krug (Livonia, Mich./Sioux City Musketeers) and senior defenseman Steve Kovalchik (Riverview, Mich./Omaha Lancers) assisted on Paskaris' fifth of the campaign.

RMU regained the lead at the 10:25 mark as Joel Gasper put in a rebound. Jason Towsley and Tom Biondich earned assists on the go-ahead goal.

Neither team was able to score for nearly 20 minutes until WSU junior defenseman Taylor Donohoe (Richmond, B.C./Powell River Kings) drilled in a shot from the top of the face-off circle past Boucher. Freshman forward Adam Smith (W. Bloomfield, Mich./Springfield Spirit) intercepted a Colonial pass behind its netminder and fed Donohoe for his second goal of the season, first since Nov. 5, 2005, at Niagara.

Hooper (1-6-1) made 21 saves in the WSU net while Boucher (5-14-1) was credited with 33 saves. Wayne State has scored 10 goals in the seven games Hooper has started.

The Warriors went zero-for-seven with the man-advantage, while stopping all five RMU power play opportunities.

The teams conclude the weekend series with a 7:05 p.m. face-off on Saturday at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum. The WSU women's squad skates against Rensselaer at 4 p.m. in the first game of the doubleheader.