SCHENECTADY, N.Y.-The Union College men’s ice hockey team battled to a 3-3 ECAC Hockey tie with #1/1 Quinnipiac in a back-and-forth contest, Saturday night at Messa Rink. The Dutchmen go to 12-11-9 overall and 5-8-6 in ECAC Hockey, while the Bobcats move to 23-2-7 overall and 14-1-5 in league play.
J.C. Brassard produced his second multi-point game of the season, notching a goal and an assist to lead Union. Mike Vecchione extended his point streak to six games with his ninth goal of the season and Eli Lichtenwald scored for the second time in as many nights. In goal, Alex Sakellaropoulos made 26 saves on 29 shots.
Travis St. Denis, Connor Clifton and Soren Jonzzon all tallied for Quinnipiac and K.J. Tiefenwerth dished out two assists. In goal, Michael Garteig stopped 25 of 28 shots.
After a scoreless first 34:02, the two teams combined for three goals over the final 5:58 of the second.
Quinnipiac opened the scoring at 14:02 when St. Denis finished a two-on-one break, beating Sakellaropoulos high on the blocker side for his 17th of the year.
Union answered at 17:27, converting on its first power play of the game. Wilkins collected the puck down low and fed Vecchione for a one-time blast at the right faceoff dot.
Connor Clifton restored the Bobcats lead 1:04 later with a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net.
The Dutchmen fought back again, tying the game at 4:29 of the third. Brassard picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and walked into Quinnipiac’s zone before zipping a wrist shot past Garteig high on the blocker side.
The Bobcats provided another quick response, regaining the lead at 6:07 when Jonzzon cleaned up a rebound on a Kevin McKernan shot from the boards.
Union would not go away quietly, tying the game again at 13:35. Michael Pontarelli worked a two-on-one with Lichtenwald, holding onto the puck long enough to force Garteig to commit. Pontarelli then slipped a pass to Lichtenwald, setting up the one-time finish for his sixth of the season.
The Dutchmen outshot the Bobcats 6-4 in the extra frame, but neither team could find the winning goal.
Following the game Union paid tribute to its five seniors: Nick Cruice, Theo Di Pauli von Treuheim, Sebastien Gingras, David Roy and Matt Wilkins.
Union, which currently trails Clarkson by three points for the final home ECAC Hockey playoff spot, closes out the regular season on the road at No.16 Cornell and Colgate. The Dutchmen take on the Big Red at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26 before playing the Raiders at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27.
