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 Matt Krug scored the game-winner in overtime on Friday. |
Feb. 2, 2007
DETROIT, Mich. - In exhibition action, the Wayne State men's hockey team battled to a 6-5 overtime victory over the U.S. Under-18 Development Team on Friday night at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum.
The game had a little of everything - two game misconducts, a combined 19 penalties totaling 60 minutes, eight power-play goals, five lead changes, and a hat trick by senior Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers).
However, it was Matt Krug's (Livonia, Mich./Texas Tornado) pair of lamplighters that made the difference, as the sophomore defenseman scored the tying goal with 66 seconds remaining in regulation and netted the game-winner at 2:14 of overtime.
Higgins opened the scoring just 54 seconds into the contest, firing a shot from the right faceoff circle over the blocker of USA goaltender Josh Unice. Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers) and Jason Bloomingburg (Canton, Mich./Texas Tornado) assisted on the play.
The U.S. team capitalized on a WSU major penalty and game misconduct with two power-play tallies 83 seconds apart from Ryan Hayes and Jimmy Hayes, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead through the first period.
As he was being hauled down between the circles on a play that would have resulted in another Warrior penalty, Ian Cole snuck a low wrist shot inside the left post to put the U.S. team ahead, 3-1, at 7:37 of the middle stanza.
However, back-to-back power-play goals by Higgins knotted the score at three. His second goal of the game came at 12:46 in the second period, when Jon Grabarek (Sterling Hts., Mich./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) sent a pass across the ice that Higgins finished with a one-timer. At 4:24 of the third period, Higgins sent in a blast from just inside the blue line that beat Unice glove-side.
Mark Nebus (South Lyon, Mich./Texas Tornado) gave Wayne State a 4-3 lead at 7:35, collecting a rebound off a shot from the point by Dan Iliakis (Scarborough, Ont./Georgetown Raiders).
The momentum swung in the other direction again as James vanRiemsdyk tied the game at four and Jimmy Hayes netted his second power-play marker of the contest, putting the U.S. team ahead, 5-4, with less than three minutes remaining in regulation.
A costly major penalty and game misconduct to Cole at 18:42 gave the Warriors the opening they needed, as Grabarek and Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) were twice able to set Krug up for successful slap shots from the point to produce a Warrior victory.
Wayne State edged the U.S. team in the shots-on-goal department, 26-25, with both Unice and WSU goaltender Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders) recording 20 saves.
Four Warriors had three-point nights - Higgins scored three goals, Krug had two and a helper, and Baclig and Grabarek each totaled three assists.
Wayne State will resume CHA play as the Warriors host three straight conference series, beginning with a set against Alabama-Huntsville next weekend, Feb. 9-10.
