SCHENECTADY, N.Y.-The Union College men’s ice hockey team erased a two-goal deficit in the final 3:34 to earn a 3-3 ECAC Hockey tie against #7/8 Cornell, Saturday night in front of 2,025 fans at Messa Rink.
The Dutchmen go to 9-8-6 overall and 2-7-3 in ECAC Hockey, while the Big Red moves to 11-3-3 overall and 6-2-2 in league play.
Sebastian Vidmar and Spencer Foo each contributed a goal and an assist and Nick DeSimone scored for the second consecutive game for Union. In goal, Joe Young stopped all 13 shots he faced over the final 35:18, including five in overtime, in his first collegiate appearance. Jake Kupsky made eight saves on 11 shots over the first 28:52.
Matt Buckles notched a pair of goals to lead Cornell. Mitch Vanderlaan added a goal and Jake Weidner and Patrick McCarron chipped in with two assists each. In goal, Mitch Gillam made 27 saves on 30 shots.
Cornell opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 5:30, as McCarron forced a turnover behind the Union goal and picked out Buckles alone in the slot for a one-timer.
Buckles doubled the Big Red’s lead with another power-play tally at 14:36, beating a screened Kupsky with a low wrist shot from the point for his fifth of the season.
Union cut its deficit in half at 5:00 of the second on Vidmar’s third goal in as many games. After Foo won a battle for the puck on the half wall, Vidmar collected the puck and fired a low shot from the top of the right faceoff circle through Gillam’s five-hole.
Vanderlaan restored the Big Red’s two-goal advantage 3:52 later, potting the team’s third power-play goal of the game. Vanderlaan received a cross-ice feed from Reece Wilcox and fire home a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot to give Cornell at 3-1 lead heading into the third.
The Dutchmen controlled play in the third period, outshooting the Big Red 15-2, and they were rewarded in the final four minutes of regulation. Union pulled Young after Cornell took a high sticking penalty with 4:36 left in the third and the gamble paid off. DeSimone took a pass from Matt Wilkins and unloaded a wrist shot high on the blocker side to bring Union within one at 16:25 of the third.
The Dutchmen continued to press, knotting the equalizer 1:02 later. Vidmar fought off two Cornell defensemen behind the Big Red net, working the puck to Foo, who walked out from behind the goal and squeezed a low shot thorough Gillam’s pads for his 11th goal of the season.
Cornell bounced back in the overtime frame, owning a 5-1 edge in shots, but Young turned away all five to secure the 3-3 tie.
Union outshot Cornell 30-24. The Big Red finished 3-for-4 on the power play, while the Dutchmen were 1-for-3.
Union takes on crosstown rival #20 Rensselaer at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 23 in the Fourth Annual Capital District Mayor’s Cup, hosted at the Times Union Center.
