SCHENECTADY, NY – The last time Princeton came to Messa Rink, the Dutchmen won 4-3 in overtime and that was the same outcome on Friday night, as the Union College men’s hockey team defeated the Tigers, 4-3, in overtime to claim their fourth conference win of the season.
Union is now 6-6-0 on the season, improving to 4-1-0 in conference play to remain atop the ECAC Hockey standings. Princeton is now 1-2-1 and falls to 0-2-1 in league play.
Unlike the last time the two teams played in March, the Tigers got on the board first in the contest, opening the scoring just 3:33 into the start of the game. Princeton would go on to out-shoot the Dutchmen, 13-11, in the first period and take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Dutchmen came out fired up in the second period and scored three times in the frame to take a commanding lead.
Senior captain Ryan Scarfo led the way just 49 seconds into the period, beating two Princeton defenders before placing a hard wrist shot over Ryan Ferland’s blocker to tie the game up.
Midway through the frame, Union took the lead behind Anthony Rinaldi’s team-best seventh goal of the season. Rinaldi got the puck to the left side of the net and drove the puck into the crease and ended up banking it in off a Princeton defender for the 2-1 lead.
A little more than three minutes later, first year Sean Harrison became the 19th Union skater to record a point this season, scoring his first collegiate goal, redirecting a shot from J.C. Brassard.
However, in the third period the Tigers proved just why a two-goal lead is the most dangerous lead to have in hockey. Princeton battled back in the third, and despite being out-shot, 9-7, in the frame, were able to net two goals to send the game into overtime.
In the second-consecutive overtime against Princeton, the Dutchmen looked more than determined to repeat the past and send the Tigers leaving with a loss.
Union out-shot Princeton, 13-0, in the overtime period. The Tigers were also assessed two of the their three penalties in OT, and the final penalty would be their undoing as Sebastian Vidmar scored his second game-winning goal of the season with 26 seconds left.
Junior netminder Jake Kupsky was back between the pipes for Union. Kupsky made 24 saves in his first win of the season. Ferland turned in 40 saves in the losing effort on the other end of the ice.
Union returns to Messa Rink tomorrow night to host No. 16 Quinnipiac at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
