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 Freshman center Stavros Paskaris had two assists and was +2 in the overtime loss. |
Jan. 23, 2005
Plymouth, Mich. - The Wayne State University men's hockey team (12-10-2 overall, 5-5-2 CHA) suffered its first overtime loss since Feb. 21, 2003, as Robert Morris University's (5-14-3 overall, 1-8-1 CHA) Brett Hopfe scored 38 seconds into the extra session giving the Colonials their first ever College Hockey America league victory.
Three times the Warriors rallied from one-goal deficits only to lose for the first time in the last 10 overtime contests. In WSU's six-year history, Wayne State has compiled a 13-6-16 mark in overtime games. The Warriors last loss came by a 3-2 score at Niagara on the aforementioned Feb. 21, 2003.
All three of RMU's regulation goals were scored with the man-advantage. Joe Federoff gave the guests a 1-0 lead 5:22 into the contest. WSU rallied on a goal by junior left wing John May (Livonia, Mich./Springfield Junior Blues) at the 6:31 mark of the opening period. May's eighth of the campaign was assisted by linemates Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) and Mark Nebus (South Lyon, Mich./Texas Tornado).
The Colonials regained their one-goal advantage less than six minutes later on a power-play goal by David Boguslawski. Wayne State trailed 2-1 after 20 minutes despite having a 16-11 advantage in shots on goal. WSU sophomore goalie Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders) was scheduled to start but had an equipment problem after the national anthem and was forced to the tunnel giving sophomore Kevin Bonikowski (Macomb, Mich./Brownstown Bombers) his first collegiate action.
Bonikowski did not face any shots in the first 2:25 of the contest and was replaced by Hooper for the remainder of the match.
A scoreless second period saw WSU hold a 15-9 lead in shots on goal aided by three power-play chances.
Wayne State tied the contest at two just 74 seconds into the third period on Jason Baclig's (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) second goal of the season and his first since Oct. 22. Junior blueliner Greg Poupard (Jackson, Mich./Waterloo Black Hawks) and sophomore center Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers) assisted on a goal which came just four seconds after a penalty to RMU's Chris Kaufman had expired.
Neither team scored for the next 12 minutes, but Robert Morris took its third one-goal lead on a man-advantage marker by Doug Conley with 6:06 left in regulation.
WSU sophomore blueliner Dan Iliakis (Scarborough, Ont./Georgetown Raiders) picked a great time for his first goal of the season (and first since Dec. 27, 2003) as he blistered a shot from the right face-off circle past RMU goalie Christian Boucher with 2:59 remaining in the third period. Nebus and Paskaris each earned their second assists of the contest on the Warrior lamp-lighter.
The only shot on goal of overtime was Brett Hopfe's seventh of the season for RMU.
Hooper made 22 saves in the Warrior cage, while Boucher turned aside 40 of WSU's 43 shots. RMU scored three power-play goals in five chances, and stopped all eight Wayne State man-advantage opportunities.
The split against Robert Morris gives WSU nine splits in 12 series this year. The three non splits were a home sweep of Canisius, a win and a tie at Robert Morris in November, and a loss and tie in early January at Alabama-Huntsville.
The Warriors will play their final non-conference series of the season next Friday and Saturday at Nebraska-Omaha. The games will be played at the Mavericks old home, the Omaha Civic Auditorium. WSU is 7-5-0 this season in non-league games.
