MARLBOROUGH, MA – A spectacular postseason run for the University of Mary came to a close tonight in a 3-2 overtime loss to the University of St. Thomas. The two-time defending national champions entered the game needing a win to keep hopes of a 3-peat alive but an empty net goal in the closing seconds sent the Marauders to their first-ever loss at an American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 2 tournament game after 12 straight wins.
The loss came in the final day of pool play. The Marauders entered the game with the Tommies needing a win to advance while the Tommies moved forward with a win or tie as St. Thomas owned the tiebreaker based on fewest goals allowed in the tournament. Through two games UST had yet to allow a goal while UMary had given up just one. It was that miniscule difference that forced the Marauders to pull All-American goaltender
Kyle Hayden with just over two minutes remaining in the contest and play for the win.
Despite a furious attack throughout the overtime period that resulted in a 6-1 edge in shots, the Marauders couldn't dent the back of the Tommies net. Instead, St. Thomas ended the game with a shorthanded goal by Josh Hermes with 32 seconds to play.
The Marauders complete their final season in ACHA M2 with a record of 38-7-2-1 (W-L-OTL-T) with a record of 29-5-0-1 against ACHA M2 squads. Next season the Marauders move up a division to ACHA M1. St. Thomas improves to 28-4 this season. The Tommies took two of three games from the Marauders this season, including the final two meetings.
UMary, ranked #1 in the nation and the region in the final polls of the 2022-23 season, finishes its ACHA M2 membership with two national titles (2021, 2022), a record of 12-1 in ACHA M2 tournament games, and a five-year overall record of 192-29-7-11.
While both teams had scoring chances in the opening period, neither team could solve the opposing goaltender.
Hayden kept the game scoreless with a spectacular save at 5:58 of the first period. The Tommies created a 2-on-0 breakaway on a Marauders turnover but Hayden stood tall in net and turned aside a point-blank shot by Zach Simon before pouncing on the puck to prevent a rebound and forcing a turnover.
St. Thomas goalkeeper Sam Haupfear turned a similar trick a short time later, turning aside a pair of quality shots by
Derek Dropik.
A glove save by Hayden with six seconds left in the first period with the Tommies on a power play sent the two teams into intermission scoreless.
The Tommies broke onto the scoreboard first. After a faceoff win by St. Thomas, Brady Knorr collected a puck at the dot in the left circle and fired a shot just under the crossbar at 2:01 for the lead.
A big blast from
Riley Scanlon pulled the Marauders even midway through the second. Following a save by Haupfear and a scramble in front of the net, the puck was knocked out to Scanlon at the top of the slot. Stepping into his slapshot, Scanlon drove home a long blast into the right side of the net at the 9:45 mark.
Both teams nearly added goals in the closing moments of the second period but the Marauders and Tommies went into the second intermission tied 1-1.
The Tommies stunned the Marauders with a power play goal just 13 seconds into the third period as Hermes tapped the puck home from the right side of the net off a give and go for a 2-1 UST lead.
A St. Thomas penalty opened the door for UMary to pull even and the Marauders took advantage. Firing the puck around the ice until locating a crack in the Tommies defense,
Johnny Witzke delivered a perfect diagonal pass from the left circle to
Caleb Petrie parked on the back doorstep for an easy deflection into a wide open net to tie the game at 5:17. It was the Marauders lone power play opportunity of the game to three for the Tommies.
Despite their best efforts, it was the final goal of the night and the season for the Marauders.
The Marauders finished the game with a 25-20 edge in shots, including a 14-6 edge in the last two periods.
Hayden finished with 17 saves on 19 shots in the game. Haupfear had 23.
Ten different Marauders accounted for the ten UMary goals scored in the three games in pool play.
Alex Flicek led the squad with four points, producing a goal and three assists. Eight other players has two points and 15 skaters had at least one point for UMary.
The Tommies advance out of Pool C to Monday's semifinal contest against UMass.
#2(C) University of Saint Thomas 3 (OT) at #1(C) University of Mary 2 - Status: Final OT1
Sunday, March 19, 2023 - NESC- Rink 7
#2(C) University of Saint Thomas 0 1 1 1 - 3
#1(C) University of Mary 0 1 1 0 - 2
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Eskro Umary (holding), 17:18.
2nd Period-1, #1(C) University of Mary, Scanlon 1 (Freeman), 9:45. 2, #2(C) University of Saint Thomas, Knorr 1 (Gatti), 12:01. Penalties-Flicek Umary (tripping), 14:34; Eskro Umary (boarding), 18:52.
3rd Period-3, #2(C) University of Saint Thomas, Hermes 1 (Davison, Johnson), 0:13 (PP). 4, #1(C) University of Mary, Petrie 1 (Witzke, Flicek), 5:17 (PP). Penalties-Breezee Ust (tripping), 4:44.
1st OT Period-5, #2(C) University of Saint Thomas, Hermes 2 9:28. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-#2(C) University of Saint Thomas 4-10-5-1-20. #1(C) University of Mary 5-6-8-6-25.
Power Play Opportunities-#2(C) University of Saint Thomas 1 / 3; #1(C) University of Mary 1 / 1.
Goalies-#2(C) University of Saint Thomas, Haupfear (25 shots-23 saves). #1(C) University of Mary, Hayden (20 shots-17 saves).
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