Feb. 25, 2005

Nick Shalek's first career goal gave Yale a 2-2 tie late in the third period of their road game against Union, but the Bulldogs gave up a late score to the Dutchmen and fell 3-2 in their first of two games in New York this weekend.

Yale fell to 4-22-2 (3-17-1) with the loss, while the Dutchmen improved to 12-20-1 (8-13-0 ECAC).

The Elis got on the scoreboard first when junior defenseman Matt Craig scored his second goal of the season off an assist from rookie Jean-Francois Boucher 4:49 into the game. Yale goaltender Pete Cohen made 8 saves in the first period to stop all of the Dutchmen's shots and send the teams into the first intermission with Yale leading 1-0.

Penalties hurt the Bulldogs in the second period as Union's Jonathan Poirier gave the Dutchmen the lead with a pair of power play goals after Blair Yaworski was called for tripping at 8:23 and Craig whistled for holding at 11:03. Jordan Webb, Union's leading scorer, assisted on both extra-man scores, with Joel Beal and Michael Beynon also picking up points.

After Yale outshot Union 11-8 in the first frame, the home team turned the tables on the Elis in the secord, recording 15 shots while the Bulldogs could only manage one.

With 9:47 to play in the third period and Yale killing off another penalty, senior captain Shalek netted his first career goal off a Shawn Mole setup to tie the game at 2-2. With less than three minutes to play, however, the Dutchmen went back on top when Beal scored his second point of the night and fourth goal of the season to give Union the 3-2 advantage.

Yale got a break when, with 1:25 remaining in the game, Union's Scott Seney was called for obstruction-holding, giving Yale a power play in the final segment of the game, The Elis pulled Cohen for the two-man advantage, but shots by Matthew Thomey and Craig went wide and an attempt by Jeff Hristovski was saved by Union's goaltender Kris Mayotte to give the Dutchmen the 3-2 victory.

The Elis play in Troy, NY tomorrow against RPI at 7:00 PM.