HANOVER, N.H.-The Union College men’s ice hockey posted its fifth consecutive win, knocking off Robert Morris, 5-4, at the 27th Annual Ledyard Classic on Sunday night. The Dutchmen, who are unbeaten in their last seven, improve to 9-6-4, while the Colonials go to 11-6-3.
Spencer Foo led Union with two goals and an assist, producing his fourth multi-point game in the last six contests and Sebastien Gingras recorded his first two-goal game since 2012. Mike Vecchione dished out three assists for his fifth multi-point game of the season, Nick DeSimone had a pair of assists andJeff Taylor chipped in with a goal. In goal, Alex Sakellaropoulos made 17 saves on 21 shots.
Zac Lynch had a goal and an assist, while Greg Gibson, Chase Golightly and Brandon Denham each tallied for Robert Morris. In goal, Dalton Izyk stopped 10 shots in the opening stanza, while Terry Shafer made turned away 20 of 22 shots over the final 40 minutes.
Union found itself in a 1-0 hole for the fourth time in the last five games at 8:13 after a miscue on the power play gave Gibson a clear breakaway, and he roofed a shot blocker side for his 14th of the season.
The Dutchmen answered back with three goals over the final 9:40 of the period. Vecchione pounced on a rebound and fed a backhand pass to Foo for a tap-in from the doorstep to make it 1-1 at 10:20 and Gingras put Union in front 2:44 later, firing a wrist shot from the point through traffic for his second tally of the season.
Jeff Taylor doubled the Dutchmen’s lead with the team’s third power play goal in the last two games at 18:56, sniping a shot from the slot that rang in off the post.
The Colonials struck quickly in the second, tying the game at 3-3 with two goals in the opening 3:27 of the frame. Chase Golightly brought his team within one with a backhand that snuck through Sakellerapoulous’s pads and Lynch potted the equalizer 2:51 later with his NCAA-leading fifth shorthanded goal of the season.
Lynch sprung himself on a breakaway after blocking a shot from the point, scoring with a backhand-to-forehand deke.
The Dutchmen managed to kill two Robert Morris 5-on-3 opportunities in the second, keeping the score at 3-3 heading into the third.
Gingras added his second of the game at 6:59 of the third with a knuckling shot to put Union ahead 4-3 and Foo gave the Dutchmen some breathing room at 14:28, redirecting DeSimone’s high point shot past Shafer.
With the game winding down and its goalie pulled, Robert Morris battled back within one with 35 seconds left on Denham’s 13th of the year, but that’s as close as it would get, as the Dutchmen held on for the 5-4 win.
Union outshot Robert Morris 35-25 and finished 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Colonials were 2-for-7. The two teams combined for 14 penalties.
Union goes back on the road for a pair of ECAC Hockey contests, taking on #3 Quinnipiac on Thursday, Jan. 7 before facing Princeton on Friday, Jan. 8.
