SCHENECTADY, NY – Sam Bowles (Davidsonville, Md.) and Justin Mrazek (Regina, Sask.) made a spectacular senior night showing to give Union a 3-1 win over St. Lawrence in ECAC Hockey action at Messa Rink Saturday night. Bowles netted the game-winning goal and added an assist for a career-high night, while Mrazek stopped a career-high 46 shots to earn the win. Union, which improves to 14-11-6 overall and 9-6-5 in league play, currently stands in fourth place in the ECAC Hockey standings.

 

In addition to the seniors' career-high performances, sophomore Jason Shaffer (Eagle River, Alaska) recorded a career-high two assists.

 

St. Lawrence (10-18-4, 5-13-2) held a commanding 21-6 shot advantage after the first period, and peppered Mrazek with four shots in the opening minutes. Travis Vermeulen tested Mrazek midway through the stanza after picking up a turnover just outside the Dutchmen's zone and carrying it into the left circle. Vermeulen wound up and fired from the left side, but Mrazek came up with the big save.

 

The momentum shifted in Union's favor in the middle frame, but it was St. Lawrence who lit the lamp first. Zach Miskovic connected with a pass from Vermeulen at 6:18.

 

It didn't take long for Union to mount a comeback, as John Simpson (Boxborough, Mass.) knocked in a power-play score less than a minute later. Mrazek cleared the puck up the right side of the ice to Mike Schreiber (Sherwood Park, Alb.) who one-touched it ahead to Torren Delforte (Shortsville, N.Y.) as the senior entered the Saints' zone. Delforte only carried it a short distance before winding up from above the right circle, and Simpson skated to the nefront to send in the rebound at 7:10.

 

Bowles gave the Dutchmen the lead late in the frame with his third goal of the season. Brock Matheson (Gananoque, Ont.) recorded his first career point by starting the play with a long cross-ice pass ahead to Shaffer. Shaffer had the puck in the slot and slipped it to Bowles, who spun around before wristing it into the far corner at 14:23.

 

Chris Potts (Phillipsburg, N.J.) gave the Dutchmen a two-goal cushion midway through the final frame with his fourth goal of the season. Shaffer sent a pass to Bowles, who circled around behind the St. Lawrence net before feeding Potts in the slot for a one-timer that slipped into the low left corner of the net.

 

Mrazek came up big again in the third period, stopping all 17 St. Lawrence attempts, including when Kevin DeVergilio tried to jam in the rebound off his original close-range wrister with just over two minutes remaining in the period.

 

Mrazek improved to 9-4-0 overall with his career-high performance, while Justin Pesony made 23 saves and drops to 1-3-0.

 

Union wrapped up its home portion of the regular season with a 9-2-5 record in Messa Rink. After the game, the team's five-member senior class was honored. Mrazek, Delforte, Bowles, Michael Beynon (Nepean, Ont.) and Josh Coyle (Brooklyn, Ohio) participated in an on-ice ceremony.

 

The Dutchmen play their final regular-season games at Yale and Brown next weekend. Union faces off against the Bulldogs in a 7 p.m. game at Ingalls Rink Friday, and takes on the Bears at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Meehan Auditorium.