SCHENECTADY, NY – St. Lawrence senior Max Taylor netted a power-play tally midway through the third period to lift the No. 19-ranked Saints past Union, 3-2, in men's ECAC Hockey League action at Messa Rink Friday night. Union junior Josh Coyle (Brooklyn, OH) led the Dutchmen (10-11-2, 3-8-0 ECACHL) with a goal and an assist, while Sean Flanagan registered two assists for the Saints (12-9-1, 8-2-0 ECACHL)

 

Coyle struck first for the Dutchmen midway through the first period with his 10th goal of the season. Freshman Mike Wakita (Kitimat, BC) broke the puck out across the neutral zone to Sean Streich (Kimberley, BC), who was waiting at the blue line. Streich touched the puck back just inside the line to Coyle and then pinned a defender on the boards to allow Coyle room. The junior forward carried the puck through the middle and sent his shot low past St. Lawrence netminder Alex Petizian.

 

The Saints lit the lamp twice less than three minutes apart to take a 2-1 lead later in the opening stanza. Shawn Fensel fired a shot from the right circle on the power play that beat Union goaltender Justin Mrazek (Regina, SK) on the glove side to knot the game at 14:24, and Kyle Rank added a score at 17:19. Flanagan found a loose puck in front of the net after a Mike McKenzie shot, and slid it to Rank, whose shot made it through a crowd in front of the net.

 

ECACHL overall leading scorer T.J. Fox (Oswego, NY) tied the game with 1:46 remaining in the opening period with his 10^th goal of the season. Torren Delforte (Shortsville, NY) passed behind the net to Coyle, whose centering pass from behind the net found Fox as he was racing to the crease. Fox stands with 10 goals and 17 assists on the season.

 

The two teams stood tied at two-all headed into the final period before Taylor scored the game-winner at 6:31. Taylor connected at the doorstep with a pass from Kevin DeVergilio for his fifth goal of the season.

 

Union had several opportunities to once again knot the game late in the final frame. With less than 10 minutes left, freshman Jeff Christiansen (Elm Grove, WI) won the draw in the St. Lawrence zone, pulling the puck back to Jason Shaffer (Arvada, CO), whose one-timer was snatched from the air by Petezian. Matt Cook (Belle Mead, NJ) peppered Petizian with several shots in a late-game power play, but the rookie netminder came up big for the Saints.

 

St. Lawrence was 2-for-4 with the man advantage, while Union was held scoreless in four chances, despite getting 11 shots off in just over seven minutes with the extra skater. The Dutchmen outshot the Saints, 34-23, including an 18-8 advantage in the middle frame.

 

Mrazek made 20 saves in the loss and drops to 9-10-2 on the season. Petizian made 32 saves for his eighth win of the season.

 

The Dutchmen host #10 Clarkson Saturday in a 7:07 p.m. ECACHL contest. The game will be broadcast in the Capital Region and throughout Central New York on Time Warner Cable Channel 3.