 |
 Chris Kushneriuk's first career goal was the game-winner Saturday against Alabama-Huntsville. |
Jan. 26, 2008
TAYLOR, Mich. - Freshman forward Chris Kushneriuk (Ottawa, Ont./Orleans Blues) made his first collegiate goal a memorable one, scoring the game-winner with 50 seconds remaining in overtime to send the Wayne State men's hockey team (7-17-2, 3-7-0 CHA) away from the Taylor SportsPlex with a 4-3 win over Alabama-Huntsville (3-15-2, 0-8-2 CHA).
Wayne State held a 3-0 lead but saw it slip away as UAH netted three straight goals over a 10-minute span in the third period before Kushneriuk's heroics. The Warriors are 2-0-2 in overtime games this season and have lost just once in their last 15 contests to reach the extra frame.
Junior Derek Punches (Manchester, Mich./Texas Tornado) scored two power-play goals, and seniors Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) and Derek Bachynski (Belle River, Ont./Leamington Flyers) contributed two assists each as the Warriors swept a series against the Chargers for the first time since Feb. 28-29, 2004 in Huntsville.
A blast from the right circle by Matt Krug (Livonia, Mich./Texas Tornado) put Wayne State on the board first with a man advantage at 12:51 of the opening period with assists from Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers) and Tylor Michel (Sudbury, Ont./Owen Sound Saugeen Greys). It marked Katz's third helper of the series, while Michel extended his point streak to four games and has eight points in his last six games.
Punches, Bachynski, and Paskaris collaborated on the next two goals to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. A quick shot from Punches in front of the crease at 7:41 of the second period made it a two-goal game. At 3:58 of the third, Bachynski sent a pass from the corner to Punches, who was parked at the far post to the left of UAH goaltender Cameron Talbot and was able to put in the one-timer.
Alabama-Huntsville's comeback started at the 5:07 mark, when a dump-in by UAH took a strange bounce off the boards and ended up on the stick of Josh Murray, who scored the Chargers' first goal of the series as the WSU defense was caught off-guard.
Andrew Coburn narrowed the deficit to one at 11:58, redirecting a long-range shot from Cale Tanaka. Kevin Morrison scored the equalizer at 14:16, taking an up-ice feed off a successful UAH faceoff and firing a shot past WSU netminder Brett Bothwell (Red Deer, Alb./Yorkton Terriers).
With under a minute remaining in overtime, Tyler Ruel (Port Alberni, B.C./Alberni Valley Bulldogs) created a turnover in the UAH zone and, after his shot hit the pads of Talbot, Kushneriuk collected the rebound for his first career goal.
Bothwell finished with 26 saves, while his counterpart Talbot had 22 for the Chargers.
Wayne State travels to Bemidji State next weekend (Feb. 1-2) before returning to the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum to host Robert Morris (Feb. 8-9).
