Box Score
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA - After two straight losses, the Williams College men's hockey team (8-2-1) got back in the win column with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Wesleyan Cardinals (2-6-3).
The Ephs were led by defenseman Brian Malchoff '11, who contributed two goals including the game-winner with four minutes remaining in overtime. Also scoring for Williams was forward John Wickman '13.
Williams held a 2-1 lead late into the third period, but after a Williams penalty with one minute remaining, the Cardinals pulled their goaltender to gain a 6-on-4 advantage and tie the game with only nine seconds left in regulation. The Ephs refused to let the game slip away, however, and bounced back with a game-winning goal by Malchoff after just over a minute of overtime play.
Looking to put back-to-back losses to Amherst and Hamilton in the rearview mirror, the Williams icemen came out firing early in the first period. The Cardinals would prove to be a worthy adversary, matching Williams' intensity with some strong physical play. Their physicality drew an early Williams penalty, but the Eph penalty kill unit responded with a solid forechecking effort to keep the puck out of their defensive zone and even create a scoring chance on a 2-on-1 shorthanded breakaway.
Later in the period, the Ephs went on a power play of their own and were able to find the back of the net. The goal was set up by Justin Troiani '12, who passed the puck across the top of the offensive zone to Malchoff. Malchoff then fired a slapshot from the right side that deflected off a Cardinal defenseman's stick and into the bottom right corner of the net to put Williams up 1-0.
A great individual effort by Bryden McGhee '14 almost extended the Eph lead late in the period. Troiani lifted a pass from the left circle toward the right side of the net, where McGhee dove into the air and tipped the puck toward the goal, but it ricocheted off the right post and into the corner.
Down 1-0 after the first period, the Cardinals responded by picking up their offense early in the second frame, and this offensive pressure paid off at the four-minute mark. Catching Williams in the middle of a line change, the Cardinals took off on a 2-on-1 breakaway which they converted for the goal to tie the score at 1-1.
Wesleyan continued to play well on offense and got a number of shots on goal, but goaltender Ryan Purdy '12 turned them all away. His best save came midway through the period after the puck squirted loose in front of the net on the left side. Diving from right to left across the crease, Purdy was able to smother the puck and prevent Wesleyan from taking the lead.
Purdy had another strong outing in net, stopping 25 of 27 shots in 61:04 minutes of play. His counterpart, Wesleyan goaltender Matt Hadge, was also solid between the pipes, making 30 saves on 33 shots in 60:31 minutes of play.
Spurred by Purdy's efforts, the Ephs began to turn the tide and create offensive opportunities in the second half of the period. Their best chance came at around the 12-minute mark; after the Wesleyan goaltender stopped a slapshot in his pads, the puck squirted free in front of the net but the referees blew the puck dead for a face-off just seconds before Connor Olvany '11 flipped it in to the goal.
Both sides continued battling to gain the upper hand, and it would be Williams who gained the advantage at the 15-minute mark. The goal started with defenseman Stephen Maier '12, who moved the puck up to Olvany on the right side. Olvany skated into the offensive zone and found Wickman, who put the puck into the top right corner of the net to give the Ephs a 2-1 lead heading into the 3rd period.
The third period saw numerous scoring chances from both teams, as the Cardinals desperately tried to tie the score while the Ephs sought to put the game out of reach. Neither team could find the net, however, as both goalies came up with big breakaway saves down the stretch.
Wesleyan finally caught a break with a minute remaining when the Ephs were called for an interference penalty. Pulling the goalie to gain a 2-man advantage, the Cardinals pounded the offensive zone and were rewarded when forward Todd Keats slammed home a loose puck in front of the net with only nine seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Malchoff gave the Ephs the last laugh in overtime when he corralled a pass from Wickman in front of the net and poked the puck past the goalie to give Williams the 3-2 victory. The Ephs are now in second place in the NESCAC behind Bowdoin College (9-2-0).
While Head Coach Bill Kangas was not completely satisfied with the way his team played tonight, he was nevertheless pleased to come away with a victory: "We aren't as connected as we were before [the holiday break] and we still have room for improvement, but hopefully this win can be the start of something positive."
Williams will face another tough NESCAC opponent Saturday afternoon in Trinity College (4-5-3). Game time is 3 PM at Lansing Chapman Rink.
