SCHENECTADY, N.Y.-The Union College men’s ice hockey team skated to a 3-3 ECAC Hockey tie with St. Lawrence in a back-and-forth contest on Saturday night at Messa Rink. The Dutchmen, who set a program record with their eighth tie of the season, go to 10-10-8 overall and 3-8-5 in ECAC Hockey, while the Saints go to 14-11-3 overall and 8-6-2 in league play.
Michael Pontarelli, Brett Supinski and Matt Wilkins each tallied for Union, while Jeff Taylor and Mike Vecchione each chipped in with a pair of assists. In goal, Alex Sakellaropoulos made 32 saves on 35 shots, including 16 in the second period.
Jacob Pritchard led St. Lawrence with two goals and Gavin Bayreuther and Brian Ward each contributed two assists. In goal, Kyle Hayton stopped 34 of 37 shots.
St. Lawrence made the most of its first power play of the game, as Pritchard took a feed down low from Bayreuther and wheeled around the right faceoff circle before firing home wrist shot high on the glove side at 7:22 of the first.
Pontarelli provided the response for the Dutchmen 2:41 later with his first goal since Nov. 13. Scarfo drove behind the Saints goal and threw a backhand pass to the front of the net, setting up Pontarelli’s one timer from in tight.
St. Lawrence restored its lead quickly, pulling back in front at 11:51 on a Laidley one timer from the slot.
Union fought its way back into the game midway through the second period with its first power-play opportunity of the night, as Supinski redirected Taylor’s point shot past Hayton at 9:21 for his fourth career power-play goal and his second in three games.
The Saints had a two-man advantage just over four minutes later, but it was the Dutchmen that had the best scoring chance. After Union killed off the first penalty Vecchione was hooked from behind on a short-handed breakaway, setting up his second penalty shot in as many nights.
Hayton came up big for St. Lawrence on the ensuing shot, kicking out his left pad to thwart Vecchione’s attempt.
The Saints had a short-handed chance of their own in the dying seconds of the frame, but Sakellaropoulos made a sprawling save to deny Mike Marnell on a rebound from the slot.
Wilkins gave the Dutchmen their first lead of the game at 4:35 of the third with the team’s second power-play goal of the contest. After Taylor’s initial point shot was saved Wilkins won the battle for the loose puck and tucked in a backhand from his knees for his fourth goal of the season.
Pritchard potted his second of the game at 13:13 with a spinning shot from the slot, bringing St. Lawrence level with what proved to be the final goal of the night.
Union outshot the Saints 4-2 in an end-to-end overtime period, but neither team could find the winner as the game ended in a 3-3 tie.
The Dutchmen head back on the road next weekend to take on a pair of nationall-ranked opponents. Union takes on #20 Dartmouth at 7:05 p.m., Friday, Feb. 12, before playing at #7 Harvard at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 13.
NOTES:
Union’s 12 overtime games on the season leads Division I and is tied for the program high…Union is 5-0-3 when tied after two.
