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 Jon Grabarek scored WSU's third goal late in the final period. |
Jan. 27, 2007
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The Wayne State men's hockey team (7-19-0, 3-9-0 CHA) scored three times in the final period but just came up short, dropping a 4-3 decision at No. 16 Niagara University (17-8-3, 8-1-3 CHA) on Saturday Night.
Niagara freshman Egor Mironov recorded a pair of power-play goals and sophomore Vince Rocco put together a three-point night with a goal and two helpers, both of which came on Mironov's tallies, to help the Purple Eagles remain unbeaten at Dwyer Arena this season.
Mike Forgie (Scarborough, Ont./Stouffville Spirit), Tylor Michel (Sudbury, Ont./Owen Sound Saugeen Greys), and Jon Grabarek (Sterling Hts., Mich./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) each scored in the third period for Wayne State to give the Warriors some late life, but Niagara's Ted Cook third power-play goal of the series negated the WSU offensive rush.
The Purple Eagles took a 1-0 lead on Mironov's first goal of the game at 11:51 in the opening period. Rocco sent the puck down low to Matt Caruana, whose pass across the crease found Mironov set up at the left post to finish the play.
On a delayed penalty call at 6:37 in the middle stanza, Vince Rocco skated out from behind WSU goaltender Brett Bothwell's (Red Deer, Alb./Yorkton Terriers) net and patiently waited for an open look before firing a wrist shot high inside the far post above Bothwell's blocker.
Les Reaney nearly put his team ahead by three on a breakaway chance with just under 10 minutes left in the second period, but Bothwell came up with a huge save to keep the Warriors within striking distance.
Mironov's second goal was nearly identical to his first, as he scored on a one-timer from another cross-ice pass by Caruana, initially set up by Rocco.
Nearly five minutes into the final period, Forgie won a faceoff in the offensive zone, pulling the puck back to Jeff Caister (Mississauga, Ont./Milton Icehawks) who blasted a slap shot from the blue line. Forgie, parked out in front of the net, was able to redirect the puck past Niagara netminder Juliano Pagliero to put the Warriors on the board.
Michel pulled Wayne State to within a goal at 12:30, getting off a wrist shot as he was spun around in the left faceoff circle, but Cook's power-play marker reestablished Niagara's two goal lead.
Still looking to complete the comeback, Grabarek capitalized on a rebound from a shot by Michel to set the score at 4-3, but a late WSU penalty ended hopes for an equalizer.
Wayne State has an exhibition game on Friday against the U.S. National Development Team at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum before hosting three straight CHA series, the first being against Alabama-Huntsville on Feb. 9-10.
