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 Nate Higgins had four points with a hat trick on Saturday at Alabama-Huntsville. |
Oct. 21, 2006
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers) recorded the 13th hat trick in school history and the first in nearly two years as the Wayne State hockey team earned an 8-6 victory at Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday in CHA action.
Co-captain Mike Forgie (Scarborough, Ont./Stouffville Spirit) got things going for Wayne State with his first goal of the season at 3:05 in the opening period, assisted by freshman Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers) who earned his first collegiate point.
UAH's Josh Murray evened the score at 13:41, and a 6-on-4 power-play goal from Brandon Roshko with 41 seconds remaining in the period put the Chargers ahead, 2-1.
Brett McConnachie gave UAH a 3-1 lead with a short-handed goal just 50 seconds into the second period, but Wayne State would tie the game midway through the stanza with power-play goals from Matt Krug (Livonia, Mich./Texas Tornado) and Katz coming 38 seconds apart. Jason Bloomingburg (Canton, Mich./Texas Tornado) and Dan Iliakis (Scarborough, Ont./Georgetown Raiders) assisted on both goals.
The Warrior scoring flurry continued as Higgins scored his first of three goals on the night at 10:33 from Derek Bachynski (Belle River, Ont./Leamington Flyers) and Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers). Mark Nebus (South Lyon, Mich./Texas Tornado) would follow that just 18 seconds later, with assists from Jon Grabarek (Sterling Hts., Mich./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) and Tylor Michel (Sudbury, Ont./Owen Sound Saugeen Greys), to put Wayne State ahead, 5-3.
Higgins capped off the second period with his second of the night at 19:11, again from Baclig, and the Warriors went into the locker room with a 6-3 lead.
The Chargers would not go away quietly in the third period, however, as McConnachie got his second goal of the evening and Grant Selinger scored two power-play markers to tie the game at six with under five minutes remaining.
With 2:54 left to play, Higgins completed the first WSU hat trick since Adam Krug scored three on Nov. 20, 2004, and netted the game winner. Helpers came from Bachynski and freshman Ryan Bernardi (Etobicoke, Ont./Milton Icehawks), earning his first collegiate point.
Higgins would add an assist on an empty net power-play goal by Bachynski with six seconds left in the game to give the Warriors their first win of the season.
WSU freshman netminder Brett Bothwell (Red Deer, Alb./Yorkton Terriers) got his first collegiate victory, stopping 53 of UAH's 59 shots on goal. Charger goaltender Mar Narduzzi saved 28 of the Warriors' 36 shots.
The Warriors return to Detroit for their home-opening weekend, as they host Sacred Heart on Friday (Oct. 27) and St. Lawrence on Saturday (Oct. 28). Both games are slated to begin at 7:05 p.m.
