ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University men's hockey team took visiting Adrian College right to the wire, but ultimately came up just short of the upset, dropping the game in overtime by the score of 3-2. It is the third straight regular season contest between the two teams to end in a 3-2 score but the first time that the Thunder have forced overtime against the nationally-ranked Bulldogs.
The visiting squad struck first in the contest converting the first power play opportunity of the game in the ninth minute of the first period.
The 1-0 lead was short lived. In the 12th minute of the game sophomore Bobby Price skated behind the Adrian keepers back and up the far boards where he was met by a defender. The loose puck ended up at the point in the hands of senior Justin Meers. A quick pass back to Price was then forwarded to right in front of the net where freshman Sam Antenucci was waiting to score the goal tying the game.
Just over a minute later, senior Brett Tierney came up with a loose puck in the neutral zone and fired a fantastic pass through the defense. Senior Garrett Hallford received the puck and moved through the defensive line before passing it to junior Thad Marcola who was trailing just behind. Marcola's shot went through the right side of the net and gave the team a 2-1 lead.
The score held into the first intermission and then into the ninth minute of the second period. Then the Bulldogs tied the game with their second goal. It ended up being the lone goal of the period and the teams entered the second intermission tied 2-2.
In net for the Thunder, sophomore Cristian Wong-Ramos showed his mettle in the final two periods of the contest. He faced nine shots in the second and ten in the third allowing just one goal to the opposition and holding the tie through the end of regulation.
In the final seconds of regulation senior Brad Jenion fired a shot from outside of the faceoff circle hitting the top right corner of the net and ricocheting out of the goal and into the corner where the Bulldogs tied it up and held on to force overtime.
Wong-Ramos came up with another great save to start the extra period, but a turnover in the defensive end gave Adrian another open opportunity which they converted for the game winning goal.
Trine falls to 3-4 overall and 1-4-0 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) play following the 3-2 overtime loss. They do receive one point toward league standings by virtue of ending the game in overtime. The two teams will face off again tomorrow, Saturday, November 19 at 7 p.m. The game will be played in Arrington Ice Arena on the campus of Adrian College.
