HANOVER, N.H.-The Union College men’s ice hockey team scored three goals over the final 5:14 to earn a 4-1 ECAC Hockey win against Dartmouth, Friday night at Thompson Arena. The Dutchmen move to 11-10-8 overall and 4-8-5 in ECAC Hockey, while Dartmouth goes to 12-11-1 overall and 9-8-0 in league play.
Brett Supinski had a career-high four points on two goals and two assists to lead Union. Mike Vecchione extended his point streak to three games with two goals and an assist and Matt Wilkins had a season-high three assists. In goal, Alex Sakellaropoulos made 33 saves on 34 shots, including 12 on the penalty kill.
Grant Opperman netted the lone goal for Dartmouth, while Ryan Bullock and Brett Patterson each had an assist. In goal, Charles Grant made 23 saves on 27 shots.
Dartmouth outshot Union 16-3 in the opening period, but Sakellaropoulos answered the bell, tying a season-high 16 saves in the frame to keep the game scoreless.
The Big Green broke through midway through the second period, converting on a two-man advantage at 11:15. Sakellaropoulos made a blocker save to deny Bullock’s blast from the point, but the rebound found its way onto the stick of Opperman, who fired home the rebound from close range.
The Dutchmen struck back 5:26 later, as Vecchione took a pass Wilkins and roofed a shot from the right face-off dot, beating Grant on the glove side.
Dartmouth had its second 5-on-3 chance of the game midway through the third, but Union managed to kill both penalties to keep things knotted at 1-1.
The Big Green found itself in penalty trouble late in the third and the Dutchmen took advantage. Supinski put Union in front at 14:46 with his fifth power-play tally of the season, redirecting DeSimone’s point shot past Grant.
Vecchione doubled the Dutchmen’s lead just 2:53 later, collecting a feed from Supinski and firing home a wrist shot from the slot.
Union put the game out of reach at 18:54 on Supinski’s second power-play goal of the game. Vecchione slid a pass to Supinski from the right faceoff circle, and he made a quick backhand-to-forehand deke to pull Grant out of place before tucking a shot into the empty net.
Dartmouth outshot Union 34-27. The Dutchmen finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Big Green was 1-for-4 with the man advantage.
The Dutchmen take on #9 Harvard at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 13.
