By Dan Hestin
For IUPHockey.com

Published on: February 2, 2010       Comment      Email This Post      Print This Post

After beating John Carroll on Friday night 5-1, the Crimson Hawks saw their chances ofgoing to the National Tournament erased with an overtime loss to West Virginia on Saturday night.  What stings even worse was that the loss occurred with only 4.6 seconds left in overtime.  It was the second time this year that the Crimson Hawks lost an overtime game with only seconds left. 

In Friday nights game, John Carroll played the Crimson Hawks very tough through the first two periods.  Josh Hemus gave the Crimson Hawks a 1-0 lead on a short handed tally with 4:05 left in the first.  Jesse Dietrick tied the game 13:38 into the second.  The Crimson Hawks exploded for 4 goals in the third period to pull away from John Carroll and secure the 5-1 victory.  Ben Robertson gave the Crimson Hawks a 2-1 lead 4:49 into the third period.  Lee Heilman extended the lead to 3-1 four minutes and forty seconds later.  Casey Stern put home a power play goal with 4:18 left in the game making it 4-1.  Closing out the game was Jesse Kunkle who scored a length of the ice short handed empty net goal.

Saturday’s game against West Virginia is one the Crimson Hawks would like to have back.  After WVU took a 1-0 lead 3:55 into the game, Ben Robertson converted the first of 2 power play goals for the Crimson Hawks with 14:41 left in the first period.  Bryan Campbell gave the Crimson Hawks a 2-1 lead 2: 37 into the second period.  With 8:17 left in the second period, Chris Ondek scored the second power play goal of the night for the Crimson Hawks extending the lead to 3-1.  WVU would not give up as they came back to make it 3-2 one minute and eighteen seconds later.  In the third period, both teams exchanged great scoring opportunities.  With 12:29 left in the game, WVU’s Tom Anderson scored his second of the night tying the game 3-3.  One minute and thirty-eight seconds later, Joe Ford answered back for the Crimson Hawks making it 4-3.  It was a short lived lead because Mitch Rosendale tied the game 4-4 with his goal just one minute and forty-five seconds later.  Each team had a chance on the power play in overtime.  Sean McFadden let loose a one timer that Crimson Hawks goalie Padraig Carey seemed to have stopped but the puck somehow squeaked through and literally rolled over the goal line giving WVU the 5-4 OT win.

The memory of this game will be short lived for both sides as WVU makes the return trip this Friday, February 5th.  Game time is 8pm.