Box Score
Williamstown, MA – Williams College men's ice hockey (8-1-4) hosted the Plattsburgh Cardinal (11-2-4) who are ranked 3rd in the nation and were 6-0-3 in their last nine games. The two teams battled all the way through an overtime period and would finish deadlocked at 3 goals apiece.
After having already scored two goals in the third period to cut the Cardinal lead to just one. The Ephs manage to tie the game in the final seconds as junior forward Evan Duglade found the back of the net just in time. Dugdale's last second goal would tie the game and force an overtime period.
The stakes were high as both teams came into tonight's game ranked in the top 15 in the nation. Coming off of last night's 1-1 tie against the Skidmore Thoroughbreds, the Ephs were determined to get back to their winning ways. The first period was high energy and high pace as the puck moved up and down the ice.
Plattsburgh, coming of a big 7-0 win at Middlebury last night, was the first to find their offensive rhythm as they began to control possession of the puck most of the first period. The Cardinal offense fired 17 shots at Ephs senior goalie Ryan Purdy in the first.
Neither team was able to break the 0-0 tie until late in the first period when the Ephs were whistled for their first penalty. The Cardinal power play capitalized on their man advantage as Plattsburgh freshman forward Jake Mooney was able to draw Purdy out of the net and find teammate Alex Jensen who was able to finish past a sliding Williams defenseman.
Jensen's goal was the first and only of the opening period as the score remained 1-0 with the Ephs down a man at the first intermission.
The Ephs came out strong in the beginning of the second period killing off the remainder of the Cardinal power play only to go down a man for the third time of the contest. Plattsburgh was not able to capitalize on their power play, but kept the pressure on Purdy and the Ephs defense.
The Cardinal pressure proved to be too much for the Ephs during the second period as Plattsburgh extended their lead to two goals late in the second. The goal came on a Patrick Jobb slap shot from the point that was redirected by sophomore defenseman Barry Roytman through the legs of Ryan Purdy who was screened on the play.
Although Williams would be awarded their second power play of the game late in the period, The Ephs best chance to bring them back within one came in the closing seconds of the period on a Plattsburgh turnover in their own defensive end.
As The Ephs were not able to capitalize, Plattsburgh would head into the locker room up 2-0 going into the 3rd.
The Ephs came out of the locker room with a lot of intensity to begin the 3rd period with intentions of cutting into the 2-0 Cardinal lead. Chances came early for Williams as freshman forward Craig Kitto nealry missed on a wrister from the left side.
Plattsburgh was whistled for their 3rd penalty of the game about four minutes into the 3rd period. Although the Ephs were not able to score on the man advantage, the momentum was shifted in their direction.
With this momentum, the Ephs were able to cut the lead to one as senior defenseman Stephen Maier banked home a slap shot off the left post and into the back of the net. Maier was set up by sophomore forward Matt Doyle.
Only three minutes later, the Ephs still with the momentum in their favor, find a way to knot the score at two goals a piece. Ephs sophomore defenseman Paul Steinig fired a wrist shot through the legs of Plattsburgh goalie Matheiu Cadieux for the game tying goal with 10 minutes remaining in regulation. Steinig was set up by David Jarrett and Justin Troiani.
After controlling dictating the flow of the game for the first two periods, Plattsburgh found themselves on their heels.
With the game that they had controlled the majority of slipping away from them, Plattsburgh State responded just over a minute later, bringing their lead back to one goal. Cardinal senior forward Ryan Craig found himself in the right place at the right time in a scrum in front of the Ephs net and was able to poke the puck through the mess, past Purdy and into the back of the net.
With time running out on the Ephs, desperation was beginning to set in and clock continued to wind down. With just under a minute left, the Ephs pull Ryan Purdy from the net and add an extra skater to their attack.
In miraculous fashion, Ephs junior forward Evan Dugdale controlled the puck just after it rebounded off Cardinal goalie Cadieux. Dugdale put it right back on net over the right shoulder of Cadieux to tie the game with only 35 seconds remaining.
"You look at where we were going into the third down 2," said Ephs head Coach Bill Kangas. "...and then we go down 3-2 and to be able to come back agian and get it to three late, really speaks to the resilliance of our group."
The remaining 35 seconds would expire and the two teams would head to an overtime period.
Overtime began with up and down action as both teams tried to score the game winner. The first chance of the overtime period came on a wrister from freshman Cardinal Alex Jensen who already had tacked on a goal in the first period but was he denied by Purdy. The Ephs had a chance of their own in the OT period as senior defenseman Justin Troiani wrapped around the back of the net but couldn't put it home.
As time expired, this thriller would end with the score tied at 2. Williams has gone to over time six games so far this season and four of them have ended in this fashion, with a tie score.
"I guess you can say we've got some expirience in OT," remarked Kangas. "But you know we are playing some good teams."
Up next for the Ephs will be Wentworth (10-4-1) at home this coming Tuesday the 17th at 4pm. Plattsburgh will head back home to take on Morrisville State College on the 21st.
