HANOVER, N.H.-The Union College men’s ice hockey team notched its third consecutive come-from-behind victory with a 3-2 win against #20 Merrimack, Saturday night at Thompson Arena in the opening game of the 27th Annual Ledyard Classic. The Dutchmen, who extended their unbeaten streak to six, improve to 8-6-4, while the Warriors fall to 7-6-5.
Matt Wilkins, Nick Cruice and Brett Supinski each tallied for Union and Spencer Foo extended his point streak to six games with an assist. In goal, Jake Kupsky made 24 saves on 26 shots for his second career win and his first since Oct. 26.
Merrimack got out to a 1-0 lead with a Brett Seney power-play goal at 5:16 of the first. Seney’s point shot was blocked, but he collected his own rebound and slid a shot into the bottom corner for his first third of the season.
The Dutchmen pulled even 3:25 later with a power-play tally of their own. Mike Vecchione fired in a shot from the point and Wilkins was on the doorstep for the rebound, scooping a shot over an outstretched Drew Vogler to make it 1-1.
Nick Cruice gave Union its first lead at 12:54, intercepting a pass at center ice and breaking into the Merrimack zone before beating Vogler with a short-side wrist shot.
Wilkins almost had his second of the game midway through the second, but his blast from the the point rang off the post. Nick DeSimone also saw his shot from the slot carom off the iron three minutes later.
Merrimack had a chance to tie things up with just under four minutes remaining in the frame, breaking through on a 2-on-0, but Kupsky kicked out his pad to deny Ben Bahe.
Union managed to double its lead before the end of the stanza with its second power-play goal of the game. Supinski took a drop pass from DeSimone and fired a wrist shot from the right circle high blocker side for his third career goal, extending his point streak to four games.
Wilkins had another opportunity with 10:14 remaining in regulation, intercepting a pass in his defensive zone to give himself a short-handed breakaway, but Vogler made a big pad save to keep his team within two.
The Warriors cut their deficit in half on their next trip down the ice, as Bahe took a couple of whacks at a loose puck beside the Union goal before finally jamming a shot inside the right post at 10:18.
Merrimack went to the power play with 3:23 left in the game, but the Dutchmen managed to hold on, killing the power play and securing the 3-2 win.
The Warriors outshot the Dutchmen 26-25 and finished 2-for-4 on the power play, while the Dutchmen were 2-for-5.
Union returns to the ice at 4 pm. Sunday, Jan. 3 against Robert Morris.
