Box Score 6-3 WIN FORCES SUNDAY FINALE
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Bulldogs had
something to prove tonight in game two of the ECAC Quarterfinal
series with Brown. The Yale men’s hockey team not only needed
a win to stay in the conference playoffs and potentially keep the
season alive, the Elis needed to show they could bounce back from
consecutive losses for the first time in 2009-10. Tonight’s
mission was accomplished with a 6-3 victory before 2,939 at Ingalls
Rink to set up a winner-take-all game three Sunday night at the
Whale.
Brian O’Neill had two goals, Andrew Miller had a goal and
two assists and Denny Kearney chipped in three helpers as the Blue
outshot the Bears 43-25. Yale found the net twice in each period
while converting two of five man-advantages.
Senior Billy Blase got a second straight start and responded
with 22 saves, including 11 in the final period. He and the Eli
defense stopped six of seven Brown power plays, and there was
plenty of two-man advantage time as well.
It took the Bulldogs (20-8-3) a little over 45 minutes to score
last night in game one. It took 26 seconds tonight. Blueliner Tom
Dignard deked a Brown forward at the point and then lost control of
the puck. He regained it after tangling with a defender and got off
a shot that bounced off Brown starting goalie Mike Clemente (20
saves). Broc Little was coming from the corner, got to it first and
slipped an off-angle shot over the goalie’s shoulder to make
it 1-0 with his 26th goal of the year.
"We were certainly more confident with our game tonight," said
Keith Allain '80, Yale's Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach of Hockey.
"This team has a good mental toughness and a great ability to
respond."
The lone penalty of the opening period was against Brown
(11-19-4), and it cost them. Jimmy Martin (2nd goal),
playing the point on the power play, kept the puck in the zone
along the boards as a Brown player got caught behind. The junior
defenseman saw the opening and flew to the middle of the slot where
he unleashed a low snapshot stick side at 6:11.
"It was big for our confidence to get on the boad early and
build off of it," said Kearney. "The puck was bouncing well for
us."
Kevin Limbert has been playing much better than his goal
production would indicate this season. His first tally since Jan.
16 against Brown at home gave the Elis a 3-0 lead 1:31 into the
second. Clemente had just made a monster save on a Little
breakaway, and the next Yale rush may have been too soon for the
Brown goalie. Limbert, who now has three goals, skated in from the
redline after taking a pass from Kearney and used a defender to
hide a low shot from the top of the circle that went glove side.
Almost nine minutes later, the lead grew to four. Miller carried
the puck from center ice and went around the defense in the right
circle while taking the defense and Clemente to the right side of
the cage. The rookie center quickly moved the puck to O’Neill
on the edge of the circle. His one-timer sailed into the open side
for his 13th of the year at 10:28. Brown senior goalie
Dan Rosen (17 saves), who made three quality saves in six seconds
early the next period during a swarming of Bulldogs, was
immediately summoned from the bench to replace the sophomore.
"It doesn't get any easier than that," said O'Neill. "Andy
[Miller] made a great pass."
The visitors used a penalty-kill to get on the board at 2:58 of
the third. Martin tried to one-time a pass from the point and the
puck bounced off a defender and turned into an odd-man rush. Jack
Maclellan ended up with a short low shot that went five-hole on
Blase.
The Elis still had time left on the advantage and used it to
re-gain the four-goal cushion. Miller made a nifty move around a
Bear and sent a great lead pass to O’Neill, who re-directed
it stick side on Rosen to bump it to 5-1.
"It was important to keep wearing them down. We were moving the
puck well. Putting up six goals, we answered the call tonight,"
said O'Neill.
The rest of the game appeared to be penalty-equalizer time, six
straight calls over less than six minutes against the Bulldogs. A
mid-slot snapshot from Aaron Volpatti (16th), with the
Bears on a 5-on-3, made it 5-2.
Miller (5th) put the finishing touches on the great
offensive night with a pretty move around the defense and backhand
tuck behind Rosen with 1:41 left.
"We knew we had to win. I think we got those two weeks [playoff
bye] out of us. It crossed everyone's mind that it could be the
last game of the year for us," said Yale senior Mark Arcobello.
BULLDOG BITES
Senior captain Ryan Donald had an apparent goal taken away in
the second period because of a Yale penalty… The only change
in the Yale lineup from game No. 1 was on defense; Nick Jaskowiak
replaced Mike Matczak… Brown’s win Friday snapped
an eight-game skid against the Bulldogs… The same set of
officials worked both games…. Yale is now 13-0 when
converting at least two PPG.
Recap filed by Steve Conn, Yale Sports Publicity Director
Video Highlights by David Dikranian:
