WEST POINT, NY -- Senior
Jason Walters scored the game-winning goal at 3:04 of overtime to give the Union College men's ice hockey team to a 2-1 victory at Army (7-9-2) on Saturday night in the Dutchmen's final non-conference tilt of the regular season. A fast-pace defensive battle with flashes of speedy offensive possessions included stellar netminding by junior
Corey Milan and Army's Jay Clark. Milan, who entered the game with a 2.33 goals-against average, made 18 stops, while Clark turned away 39 Union tries.
Union secured its 10th victory of the season (10-4-5) after senior
Mario Valery-Trabucco chipped a puck ahead to junior
Adam Presizniuk, who made a strong move towards the net. The initial shot was saved by Clark, but a second and third whack resulted in Walters' second goal of the game and 11th of the season.
Walters is now on a 10-game scoring streak and is only three points away from the century mark. The assist gives Valery-Trabucco a team-best 23 points, while Presizniuk now has 18 (third on the team).
The first period seemed to be heading to a 1-0 Army lead into the intermission, but Walters scored with just 11 second remaining. The goal -- his tenth of the season -- came after the Renfrew, Ontario native stole the puck on the left halfwall, skated around the net and roofed a shot over the left shoulder of Clark.
A similar play led to Army's first goal. With 6:13 remaining Cody Omilusik, who leads the team with 13 goals, stuffed in a wrap-around five hole while on the power play.
After a scoreless second, Union turned up the pressure in the third period, unloading 17 shots -- the second most in a period this season. Presizniuk had the best opportunity with less than four minutes remaining, but was robbed in the slot on a rebound try.
Presizniuk struck the post early in the period, moments after junior Stephane Boileau also found iron.
The win was the second thriller in back-to-back seasons as
Kelly Zajac scored as time expired last year, giving Union a 5-4 victory. Union has won nine-straight against Army.
The Dutchmen complete their six-game road stand when it travels to Princeton on Friday, Jan. 8 and to first-place Quinnipiac on Saturday, Jan. 9. Both games will begin at 7 p.m. Union returns home to face cross-town foe RPI on Saturday, Jan. 16. Tickets can be purchased at
UnionAthleticsTickets.com.
