Union gets shots, but takes a pair of blows

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Goalie Alex Sakellaropoulos of Union makes a stop on a shot from the point with A.J. Fossen of Clarkson on the doorstep at Messa Rink on Friday, February 5, 2016.

Share on Facebook

Save

It wasn’t the greatest of nights for the Union College hockey team Friday.

First, despite firing 45 shots on Clarkson goalie Greg Lewis, the Dutchmen dropped a 4-1 ECAC Hockey decision at Messa Rink. It was the Golden Knights’ first win at Messa since March 6, 2005.

Then after the game, Dutchmen coach Rick Bennett said that junior defenseman Noah Henry has left the team because of a family decision. Bennett declined to say what the decision was.

Henry played in 24 games this season and had a goal and five assists with a defensive rating of zero. He had two goals and 13 assists in 87 career games.

Union now has seven defensemen listed on the roster. Junior Matt Krug, who has yet to play a game this season, is the spare defenseman.

Asked how this will affect the Dutchmen’s defensive depth, Bennett said, “[Forward] Theo Di Pauli’s gone back on ‘D’ for practices. Now, we have eight ‘D.’ If you ask me about depth, it hasn’t changed.”

Pressed further as to whether Henry will return to school next season, Bennett became terse.

“I have no idea. I have absolutely no idea,” Bennett said. “Noah Henry’s not with us. We wish him well, and that’s the end of it.”

As for the game, the Dutchmen (3-8-4 ECACH, 10-10-7 overall) peppered Lewis throughout the game. If it wasn’t for Mike Vecchione scoring on a penalty shot with 5:02 left in the third period, the Dutchmen would have been shut out.

“It’s pretty tough to swallow,” Vecchione said. “We controlled most of the game. We got a lot of pucks to the net. We hit a couple of posts. Rebounds were there, we just didn’t bury them. You have to give credit to [Lewis], he was making the saves. We’ve just got to bury our chances when we get them.”

Bennett wasn’t as frustrated as Vecchione. But it was the second straight game that Union has run into a hot goalie. In last Saturday’s 2-2 tie at Brown, Bears netminder Tim Ernst made 38 saves.

“The effort was there tonight,” Bennett said. “I’m not saying win, but at least come out of this thing with a tie.”

But Bennett was upset with some of his players taking bad penalties. He didn’t mention anyone by name, but junior defenseman Jeff Taylor took a cross-checking penalty midway through the second period with Union down 2-0. With 6:15 left in the third, freshman right winger Brett Supinski high-sticked Clarkson defenseman Aaron Thow after the whistle in front of the Knights’ net.

“It’s only frustrating when you take penalties and kind of kill momentum,” Bennett said. “We talked about it as a team. I thought those were probably the biggest difference in the game.”

The Knights (6-6-3, 14-10-13) got a power-play goal from Christian Powers with 19 seconds left in the first period to take the 1-0 lead. Thow scored 31 seconds into the second to make it a two-goal lead.

After Vecchione’s goal, Perry D’Arrisso regained Clarkson’s two-goal advantage with 3:38 left. Pat Megannety sealed with 1:31 remaining on an empty-netter.

“I thought we found a way to win tonight,” Clarkson coach Casey Jones said. “I thought we had good goaltending, and our special teams were good. I know the seniors are pretty excited. For them to get [the win] is a good notch in their belt.”

Clarkson 1 1 2 — 4

Union 0 0 1 — 1

First Period — 1, Clarkson, Powers 6 (Geiger, Fossen), 19:41 (pp). Penalties — Gareau, Cla (tripping), 5:41; DeSimone, Uni (tripping), 17:57.

Second Period — 2, Clarkson, Thow 1 (Dalpe), :31. Penalties — Light, Uni (holding), 5:10; Tansey, Cla (hooking), 7:01; J. Taylor, Uni (cross-checking), 11:03; Pierog, Cla (tripping), 15:41.

Third Period — 3, Union, Vecchione 6 (penalty shot), 14:58. 4, Clarkson, D’Arrisso 4, 16:22. 5, Clarkson, Megannety 5 (Quince), 18:29 (en). Penalties — Supinski, Uni (high-sticking), 13:45; Boucher, Cla (hooking), 14:58.

Shots on Goal — Clarkson 5-12-8 — 25. Union 12-14-19 — 45.

Power-play opportunities — Clarkson 1 of 3; Union 0 of 3.

Goalies — Clarkson, Lewis 8-4-2 (45 shots-44 saves). Union, Sakellaropoulos 8-8-5 (24-21).

A — 1,976. T — 2:23.

Referees — Robert St. Lawrence, Brad LeBlanc. Linesmen — Matt Luther, Matt Brady.