Schenectady, NY (Feb. 25, 2005) Senior Joel Beal (Brantford, ONT) got his 100th career point in dramatic fashion, scoring the game-winning goal with 2:10 left in the third period to give Union a 3-2 win over Yale at Messa Rink and snap a 10-game ECACHL losing streak. Beal came into the game needing just two points to reach the century mark and registered an assist on Union's second goal of the game. Union (12-20-1, 8-13) finished 2-for-7 on the power play after coming up empty on 15 chances in the previous three games.
Union came out and registered the first four shots of the game to keep the pressure on Yale goaltender Peter Cohen. It would be the Bulldogs that struck first though when Matthew Craig's shot from center ice snuck past Union goaltender Kris Mayotte (Pittsburgh, PA) who appeared to hesitate on the play, anticipating an offside call from the official. The whistle came for a different reason, giving Craig his second goal of the season at 4:49 of the first period.
Senior Brian Kerr (Kirkland, QUE) had two good chances for the Dutchmen later in the period but his first shot on a blast in front was kicked away by Cohen and the second off a faceoff was sent into the netminder's chest.
In the second period Jonathan Poirier (St. Jerome, QUE) scored both of Union's power play goals to overtake the Bulldogs. The first came at 9:41 after taking a pass in front from Jordan Webb (Nepean, ONT). Poirier took a pass right on the tape and flipped it past Cohen to tie things up. Less than two minutes later he took another pass in front from Webb and connected on a backhand shot to make it 2-1. Union outshot Yale in the second period 15-1, tying the single game record for shots allowed in league play.
Yale, who scored two shorthanded goals in the earlier season meeting, struck again on the penalty kill to tie the game at 10:13 of the third period. Nick Shalek stuffed the puck home through traffic in front of the net. It was Union's 10th shorthanded goal allowed this season. Beal came through for Union though at 17:50 with his fourth goal of the season. Scott Seney (Silver Spring, MD) got things started in the neutral zone with a pass up ice to Jake Schwan (Clifton Park, NY). The freshman fed the puck across the slot to Beal who tucked it away into a wide open net.
Yale pulled Cohen with 1:25 left in favor of an extra attacker but could not break Mayotte, who finished with 16 saves to pick up the win. Cohen made 27 on the night to keep pressure on Union.
Union wraps up regular season play tomorrow night against Princeton. The Dutchmen will celebrate senior appreciation night as they look for their second straight win, and a shot at home ice in the first round of next week's playoffs.
