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 Derek Bachynski had a goal and an assist against Niagara. |
Feb. 17, 2006
DETROIT - The Wayne State University men's hockey team (5-18-6 overall, 2-8-5 CHA) rallied three times from a one-goal deficit but the visiting Purple Eagles of Niagara University (15-13-1 overall, 9-5-1 CHA) scored the tie-breaking goal with 81 seconds left in the third period for a 4-3 win at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum Friday night.
NU's Jason Williamson opened the scoring just 1:22 into the contest as he netted his eighth of the season off assists from Matt Caruana and Dan Sullivan.
Just over six minutes later, the Warriors pulled even at one as Adam Krug (Livonia, Mich./Sioux City Musketeers) banged in a rebound of a Greg Poupard (Jackson, Mich./Waterloo Black Hawks) blueline blast. Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) earned an assist on the WSU power-play goal.
NU went ahead 2-1 with 7:28 remaining in the opening period on a goal by Sean Bentivoglio off an assist from Les Reaney.
The lead would last less than two minutes as Derek Bachynski (Belle River, Ont./Leamington Flyers) would score another Warrior man-advantage marker from Baclig at the 14:30 mark.
The wide open first period saw Niagara hold a 16-13 advantage in shots on goal.
The Purple Eagles scored the lone goal of the middle stanza as the visitors had an 11-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Williamson scored his second of the contest at the 9:35 mark from Bentivoglio and Reaney.
Neither team would score for nearly 20 minutes until WSU senior defenseman Steve Kovalchik (Riverview, Mich./Omaha Lancers) gathered the puck in the offensive corner to the left of NU goalie Jeff Van Nynatten and fired a shot out front that hit the goalies pads and ended up in the back of the net.
NU's Pat Oliveto netted the game-winner at the 18:39 mark. Oliveto came down the slot, took a back-hand pass from Reaney, and beat Warrior goalie Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders). Andrew Lackner started the scoring play by keeping the puck in the offensive zone at the left point.
Hooper made 35 saves in the WSU cage including double-digit totals in every period, while Van Nynatten was credited with 21 saves. Wayne State went two-for-two on the power play, while Niagara was zero-for-six ending a streak of seven straight games the Warriors had allowed a man-advantage marker.
The teams conclude the weekend series with a 7:05 p.m. face-off on Saturday at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum as part of a doubleheader as the Warrior women's hockey team skates against Niagara's women's squad at 4:05 p.m.
