SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Three third-period goals were the difference maker as the Union College men's hockey team defeated Dartmouth College, 4-1, Friday night at Messa Rink.
In the win, Union remains unbeaten at home this year as they move to 5-7-1 and 3-2-0 in ECAC Hockey play.
Junior
Mason Snell scored his first goal in a Dutchman sweater and classmate
Ben Tupker picked up his third goal of the season in the win. Sophomores
Caden Villegas and
Cullen Ferguson each scored an empty-netter.
After a scoreless first period where Union outshot the Big Green 11-1, it was Dartmouth that broke through the stalemate at 6:54 of the second period. Chisholm fired a shot from the slot to beat senior
Connor Murphy. Union responded at 14:05 of the period. After Smedsrud forced a turnover in the neutral zone, Watkins found Snell at the top of the point and the junior fired a wrister to beat Dartmouth netminder Cooper Black.
Tied at one going into the third period, Union netted three goals in the final stanza. Junior
Bram Scheerer sent the puck up the boards and around the back of the net where Tupker gained possession at the top of the near circle and sent it home for the eventual game-winner. Dartmouth pulled Black with 3:33 to play for the extra-attacker. Villegas added an insurance goal at 18:09 of the third period when he picked up a bouncing puck in the Union end of the ice, turned around, and fired the shot the length of the ice for the score. Only 48 seconds later, first-year
Nate Hanley won a faceoff outside of the Union defensive zone and dished the puck to Ferguson. The sophomore defender flipped a shot from neutral ice for the extra insurance goal and his second goal in as many games.
Murphy made 23 saves and picked up his fifth victory of the year. Black made 18 saves in the loss for the Big Green.
Union hosts #12/13 Harvard University tomorrow for the Pink at the Rink game. The first 1,500 fans will receive a rally towel courtesy of New Country Lexus of Latham. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Messa Rink.
