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 Mike Forgie scored the game-winner 4:43 into overtime. |
Dec. 10, 2005
DETROIT - The Wayne State University men's hockey team (3-9-2) recorded its first home sweep since Oct. 30-31, 2004, with a thrilling 6-5 overtime win Saturday evening against the visiting Warriors of Merrimack College (4-10-2).
In a game of dramatic momentum shifts (Wayne State scored five straight goals after trailing 1-0; Merrimack scored four consecutive goals to send the game into overtime), it was the host Warriors prevailing on sophomore Mike Forgie's (Scarborough, Ont./Stouffville Spirit) first career game-winning goal.
Merrimack took a 1-0 lead 4:02 into the contest as Matt Johnson scored a power-play goal from just outside the crease after receiving a cross-crease pass from Mike Alexiou.
WSU trailed for less than two minutes as Forgie netted his fourth of the campaign at the 6:01 mark as he banged in the rebound of a Mark Nebus (South Lyon, Mich./Texas Tornado) shot. Freshman defenseman Matt Krug (Livonia, Mich./Texas Tornado) started the scoring play.
The game stayed tied until the 11:53 mark when Steve Kovalchik's (Riverview, Mich./Omaha Lancer) blueline shot beat MC starting goalie Frank McLaughlin. Kovalchik's first of the season was assisted by Adam Krug (Livonia, Mich./Sioux City Musketeers) and Forgie. Seven of Kovalchik's nine career goals have been with the man-advantage.
Wayne State outshot the guests 12-7 in the second period and outscored Merrimack 3-0 in the frame for a 5-1 advantage after 40 minutes.
Junior Jason Bloomingburg (Canton, Mich./Texas Tornado) extended his goal-scoring streak to three games by lighting the lamp at the 16:13 mark during a five-on-three power play. Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) won an offensive zone face-off to Nate Higgins (Calgary, Alb./Green Bay Gamblers) who feed Kovalchik. Bloomingburg beat MC goalie Jim Healey high to the short side for his fourth of the year.
WSU extended its lead just 31 seconds later as Higgins one-timed a cross-ice pass from Dan Iliakis (Scarborough, Ont./Georgetown Raiders) past Healey. Matt Krug earned his second assist of the evening on Wayne State's fourth goal of the night.
With 1:37 left in the second period, Nebus put in a rebound of a Matt Krug shot giving WSU three power-play goals in the period.
Merrimack would not go quietly in the third period recording a 19-6 advantage in shots on goal and scoring four times to send the game into sudden-death overtime.
Bryan Schmidt's blueline shot deflected off Mark Cannon's stick past a surprised WSU goalie Matt Kelly (Hull, Mass./Topeka Scarecrows) just 4:10 into the frame.
MC's Matt Johnson scored his fourth of the weekend at the 8:02 mark during a Merrimack power play to pull the visiting Warriors within two at 5-3.
Merrimack's John Goebel made it a one-goal contest just 26 seconds later as he was alone in front following a deflected pass by Rob LaLonde.
Following a Merrimack timeout with 3:05 left in regulation and the start of MC's ninth power play, Goebel scored at the 17:44 mark during a four-on-four situation to send the game into overtime.
After WSU's Kelly made four saves in the extra session, Nebus forced a Merrimack defenseman into a bad clearing pass that was intercepted by WSU's Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) at the blueline. Baclig skated down the slot and feed Forgie, who was stationed to the right of MC goalie Patrick Watson. Forgie slid the puck five-hole on Watson giving WSU its second latest regular-season overtime victory in school history. Forgie's goal came 4:43 into overtime, while Nathan Rosychuk scored 4:44 into overtime on Jan. 11, 2003, vs. American International at the Taylor SportsPlex in Taylor, Mich.
Wayne State has a 14-8-20 mark in overtime contests in the program's seven-year history.
Kelly finished the contest with 29 saves including 15 in the third period. McLaughlin (7), Healey (9) and Watson (7) combined for 23 stops.
Wayne State went four-for-11 with the man-advantage, while Merrimack scored twice in nine opportunities.
WSU will take the next two weeks off for finals and will resume action in the 2005 Badger Showdown on Dec. 30-31 in Madison, Wis., at the Kohl Center. The Warriors skate against Northern Michigan in the first semifinal, while the host Badgers play Western Michigan in the Dec. 30 nightcap. Wayne State's Dec. 30 game can be heard on WDTK (1400AM) or via the Internet at wdtkam.com.
