Dec. 29, 2008

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Despite holding leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 through the midway point of the second period, the Yale Bulldogs fell to No. 16 University of Omaha-Nebraska, 8-3 before a crowd of 2,527 at Ingalls Rink. The Mavericks scored the game's final six goals to improve their record to 12-4-3.

"At the end of the day, it didn't feel like an 8-3 game," said Keith Allain, the Malcolm G. Chace head coach of men's hockey. "The puck just going in for them. We got off to a good start, but they're a very deep team."

Yale got on the board first with sophomore Broc Little's third shorthanded goal of the year at 5:42 of the first period. Little made a great play on a breakaway to keep the puck on his stick as he crossed the blueline. Little hesitated just long enough to regain control of the puck, deke, and fire it past Maverick goaltender Jeremie Dupont. The lead lasted only 18 seconds; with the Mavericks still on the power play, Matt Ambroz lit the lamp to tie the score at 6:00.

Eli freshman Kevin Limbert gave Yale a 2-1 lead with 30 seconds left in the opening frame with a picture perfect blast that marked his second goal of the year. A Yale penalty with four seconds left in the first period gave the visitors a man advantage to start the second for 1:56. Though the Blue technically killed the penalty, just seconds later, Nebraska-Omaha tied the score with a goal from Alex Hudson at 2:04.

Yale once again came back. Sophomore Denny Kearney picked up his second goal - and ninth point - of the year on a power play at 7:33 to put Yale up, 3-2. Just over three minutes later, the Mavericks began their dominance of the final half of the game. Eddie DelGrosso scored at 10:55, Nick Von Bokem tallied at 13:30 and Hudson netted his second goal of the night at 14:36 to put the Mavericks up 5-3.

Just as with the second, the third period began with the Mavericks on the man advantage, and the frame was all Nebraska-Omaha as well, with a power play goal from Eric Olimb just 51 seconds in to put the visitors up 6-3. DelGrosso notched his second goal of the night at 8:47 and Rich Purslow scored at 17:22 to put the finishing touches on the 8-3 Maverick victory.

Yale - which has outshot its opponents in every game this season - fired 36 shots on net compared to 27 for the Mavericks, but Dupont rebounded after a shaky start to make 33 saves on the night. Yale goalie Alec Richards made 19 stops while suffering his first loss of the season.

The Bulldogs host Minnesota State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night at Ingalls Rink.

Recap filed by Ron Vaccaro '04

Video by David Dikranian