Cougars get Split with #4 Lindenwood
Blow a 2 goal lead in Game 1, Escape with 9-8 win in Game 2
Drive, Killer Instinct, and the ability to put teams away has been a constant problem with the SIUe D2 club this season. The 3rd period has haunted the Cougars, most recently giving up 9 goals combined in the final frame of both tilts with Lindenwood.
Game 1 opened about as bad as it could get for the Cougars as they found themselves down 2 :90 into the game. A slap shot bounced in off of the back of a Cougar Defenseman and past Alex Garrard to open the game. LU scored again, on a 2 on 1, leaving Garrard with no chance. The Cougars responded after a time out, as Cory Beck took advantage of a power play to bring the Cougars within 1. Jared Ippolito would bury 2 of his own midway through the period to give SIUe a 3-2 lead. The Cougars didnt have much attack time but would capitalize on their opportunities.
After a 5 goal 1st period, Tim Dolan's shorthanded goal would be the only scoring in the 2nd, thanks in large part to the strong play of Garrard. SIUe had trouble clearing their own end, couple that with the long change in the 2nd, and much of the 2nd was spent in front of the Cougar cage. Shots were 33-11 after 2 periods, but SIUe had the 4-2 lead going into the 3rd.
Lindenwood wouldn't roll over and die, scoring off of a deflection in front, 3 minutes into the 3rd to make it a 1 goal game at 4-3. The two teams would trade chances until the Lions tied the game with 10:21 left. SIUe was handed a golden opportunity to take the lead back on a 5 on 3, but the lack of movement and perimeter shots kept Lindenwood in the game. Immediatly following the 2 man advantage, Lindenwood rushed down the ice and scored on nearly an identical play to the tying goal with 5:04 to play.
Lack of Killer Instinct Makes 9 goals Just Enough in 9-8 win in Game #2
Coming so close to a win on the road, SIUe would regroup for game 2 and come out guns ablazing. The Cougars would match Friday's offensive output in 1 period, scoring 4 goals on 16 shots. Jared Ippolito would score twice on the power play, Alex Edwards would score on a solo effort slipping a backhand just in side the near post, and Alex Nickens would rip a snap shot between the pads of the LU goaltender. Lindenwood would net a goal before the end of the period, but SIUE would have a 4-1 lead after 1, shots favoring the Cougars 16-13.
The 2nd period's results mirrored the opener as SIUE would tally 3 more (John Wright, Cory Beck, and Tim Dolan), but LU would score to keep it to a 5 goal lead at 7-2. Ippolito would finish the hat trick scoring on a breakaway to finish the period up 8-2. Lindenwood would add 20 shots in the 2nd, and Garrard made some huge saves, most notably a glove save with a LU player all alone in the slot on a 2nd chance opportunity. Lindenwood began to get chippy, which would give the Cougars a stacked 5 on 3 close to the end of the period. Yet again, the Cougars couldn't get anything through, and would give Lindenwood a pulse in the 3rd period.
Between the 2nd and 3rd, the players were instructed to skate away from the chippy play, and not to let LU back into the game with power plays. 14 penalties were called in the 3rd. 4 of those came with :08 remaining in regulation. Of the remaining 10, 7 went to SIUe players. The Lions would open the period scoring 2 goals, 1 on the power play, a minute apart making it 8-4 with 16:17 to play. Erik Boning would score LU's 3rd consecutive to bring the Lions within 3. John Wright stepped up, going coast to coast to give the Cougars a 4 goal lead at 9-5 with 12:09 left. In the next 7 minutes, SIUe would take 6 of those penalties and turned what could have been a blowout of a #4 team, into a severe breakdown, and almost blowing a 6 goal lead. Lindenwood entered the zone at will, passing by what seemed to be a relaxed "prevent" defense. LU would score 3 more power play goals, bringing the game to 9-8 with 4:23 remaining. SIUe would keep the Lions from scoring a 9th goal, but would surrender 21 shots and only take 6 of their own. Garrard's 2nd period saved the day for SIUe, as he stopped 46 of 58 shots overall.
The Cougars have given up 21 goals in the 3rd period in 8 games in the 2nd Semester, and only 20 in the 16 other periods. Killer instinct is more than just being offensive, which this team has throughout the lineup. Its the ability to shutdown, and keep the other team off of the board. It looks as if the Cougars will make regionals, but if they cant shut a team down, they will not go far, as they will have to go through Lindenwood-type teams to get to Nationals.
SIUE will take on #12 Iowa in the season finale at East Alton on February 10th and 11th. SIUe swept Iowa earlier this season wining 5-3, and 4-3 in a shootut. Stay connected to the Cougars on twitter by following us at twitter.com/#SIUE_Hockey.
Cougars Sweep Loyola Ramblers 9-6, 9-2
Cougars Capture MACHA Gold Regular Season Crown
Sometimes it's not how you do it, but that you get the job done. Friday night in Wilimette, IL, the D2 squad figured out how to battle through a poor fundamental outing, and take over with hard work.
T.J. Henson broke a 6-6 game open by scoring a natural hat trick midway through the final period for the 9-6 W.
Jared Ippolito scored his team leading 29th goal to open the game with a 1-0 lead. Loyola netted 2 quickly, taking a 2-1 lead. Alex Nickens (Freeburg, IL) scored shorthanded, the benefactor of a stellar shorthanded forecheck by Zac Bunjan, knotting the game at 2. LU scored with 1:48 left to take a 3-2 lead to end the 1st.
SIUe would dominate the 2nd, outscoring Loyola 4-1 in the period. Bunjan would tally 2 power play goals giving the SIUe the lead at 4-3. LU would tie it on a power play of their own at the 7:57 mark. The Cougars would then score twice in :26 (Keenan, Edwards), up 6-4 as the period ended.
The Ramblers would score 2 goals of their own in :49 midway through the 3rd, to tie the game again at 6. This is where Henson emerged in "Beast Mode", as the last 7:25 of the game were his. A one timer from a Cory Beck feed, going coast to coast on a breakaway, and finishing the hat trick on an empty netter sealed a 9-6 victory. Chase Grendys stopped 29 of 35 Loyola shots for his first win this season.
Edwards Hatty leads SIUe over Loyola 9-2
Tired of watching linemate Jared Ippolito score all of the time, Alex Edwards decided to put the puck on net to see what would happen. 3 goals later, we may see it more often. Game 2 was won with typical SIUe flare, a hat trick, TJ scoring, and at least one goal scored by some one who isn't exactly an offensive dynamo. Alex Edwards had 3, Brad Keenan had 2, Henson, Dolan, Gevers, and yes, Kyle Sullivan had a multi-point night and almost a 2 goal shift in the Cougars 9-2 rout of Loyola. Grendys stopped 24 of 26 for his 2nd win of the season.
The sweep clinched a MACHA Gold Division Regular Season Title, and a First Round Bye at the MACHA Gold Playoffs. Next on the checklist is a bid a regionals, and SIUe will need to perform well against #4 Lindenwood to ensure a spot at ACHA Central Regionals. As always you can follow the action on twitter.com/#SIUE_Hockey.
Cougars host #11 Missouri State to Open 2nd Half
SIUe has taken 3 of last 5 from Ice Bears
2 teams who seem to always lead the pack in MACHA, SIUe and Missouri State, will pair up Saturday and Sunday for 2 huge MACHA Conference tilts with big-time rankings implications. SIUe will be without the services of Goaltender David Borre and Abram Henson for the 2nd Semester. However, Chase Grendys returns between the pipes, and forwards Alex Nickens and TJ Henson playing healthy is nearly like adding a new player, as Henson played with a upper body injury for the last 12 games of the 1st semester after not making the trip up for Ferris State in November. Nickens, missed the first 11 games rehabing a broken leg. Now recovered and motivated, expect Nickens to show up on the scoresheet in bunches, making up for lost time.
The Ryan brothers, Jack (33 pts) and Blake (23 pts), bookend the Ice Bears top 3 scorers with MACHA All Star Andy Draper between the two with 28 pts through 25 games.
Missouri State (7-3) has 2 games in hand on SIUe (9-1-2), but SIUe can clinch a first round bye, and possibly keep Mo State out of Regionals with a weekend sweep. However, should the Cougars not play a full 60 minute game, Missouri State can turn the tables in a hurry, as they have done to the Cougars in years past. When these 2 teams collide, expect a hard hitting, fast paced game with skill in bunches on both benches. The Cougars are currently in the #8 spot in the ACHA Central, the Ice Bears just outside the top 10 at #11, but all of that can change this weekend. Both games can be seen on websportsradio.com, and you may also catch updates on your mobile devices on Twitter by following #SIUE_Hockey.
Cougars Split with NIU, Drop SLU on Weekend
D2 Rise to the Top of MACHA Gold Division Standings
December 12, 2011 The last weekend of the semester can be the most trying on a collegiate athlete's mind. For the Cougars D2 team, a tight 4 team race for 1st in the conference, maintaining a high rank in the ACHA's Central Region, as well as finals and graduation were on the line this past weekend. NIU took game 1 8-7, a game in which Cougar Goaltenders' may want back. Dave Borre and Alex Garrard each gave up 4 goals in their time between the pipes as NIU came back from a 7-5 deficit, scoring 3 goals on Garrard in a 2:07 span midway through the 3rd. Special teams and flukie goals came to the rescue of the Huskies, as they netted 2 power play goals and a shorthanded goal en route to victory. On a positive note, The Red Line (Keenan, Henson, Beck) ignited Friday for 4 goals, a trend which would continue for the weekend.
AE's Hat Trick leads Cougars to 9-3 W in Game 2
Saturday was a step in the right direction in all facets of the game for the Cougars. After giving up a goal from the corner, Garrard refocused and found his game. All offensive lines chipped in the winning effort, scoring 7 consecutive goals after NIU's opening tally. Alex Edwards would drop 3 in the Husky net, Cory Beck notched 2 goals, and Captain John Wright, Jared Ippolito, and the Bunjan Bros each tallied for the Cougar 9-3 victory. Garrard rebounded from a forgettable Friday outing with 27 saves for the win, his 8th on the year.
Borre, Red Line go into overdrive into the 3rd for 5-1 Win
Sunday would be the last game for the D2 team in the semester, and for Cougar Goaltender David Borre the last game in his 4 year career as a Cougar. SIUe would dominate play throughou the game outshooting SLU 43-19, but would find themselves down 1-0 after 2 on a late power play goal by Sean Lamb. TJ Henson would score on a rebound in front of Billiken netminder Alex Topeleski tying the game at 1 at the 14:33 mark of the 3rd. Topeleski stymied the Cougar on their first 31 shots, but his luck ran out on shots 32 (T. Henson), 33 (T. Henson), and 34 (Ippolito), as each found their way to the back of the net in a 3:57 span midway through the 3rd.
Borre was not called upon often in the game, but had to face 7 SLU power plays, including 2 5-minute major power plays, which gave the Bills high quality scoring opportunities for nearly a 1/3rd of the game. Borre shut the door on a SLU 2-1 with 5:30 remaining, a save which seemingly put the nail in the Billiken coffin in a 3-1 game. Brad Keenan would score on the next Cougar rush, giving SIUE a 4-1 advantage. Cory Beck, the #1 Star of the weekend with 9 points, would seal the game with a shorthanded tally with 1:43 remaining.
Borre would make 18 of 19 saves for the win, his career best 7th win in a season. Borre finishes his Cougar Campaign at a combined record of 20-18-3, in 40 games for both Gold and Silver teams.
D2 finishes the 1st Semester at 15-5-3, and in 1st place in the MACHA Gold Division. While Iowa also has 20 pts in the division SIUe has played 2 less conference games, and also hold the tiebreaker sweeping Iowa earlier this season.
Cougars Look to Right the Ship vs. Kansas
D2 has lost 4 of last 6; Face Winless Jayhawks this Weekend
November 10, 2011 -The D2 Cougars have been struggling as of late, having lost 4 of their last 6 games; 2 of which came in either a shootout (vs. Mizzou) or in overtime (vs. RMU-Chicago). The Cougars recieved an 8th Ranking in the Central Division, and need to not only win games to forge ahead, but to dominate teams to shoot higher in the rankings. Finding the back of the net has been tough for SIUE recently, scoring 23 goals in their last 6 games. This once high powered offense will look to get back on track this weekend, as the Cougars will travel to Topeka, KS to face MACHA Conference opponent Kansas in a 2 game set. Kansas is currently 0-9 overall, 0-6 in MACHA play, allowing at least 5 goals in every contest this season.
The games between SIUE D2 and Kansas can be heard live on kuhockey.com. As always, you can follow SIUE Hockey and get live updates to your favorite mobile device at twitter.com/#SIUE_Hockey.
Cougars Can Only Take 3 of 4 Points from Tigers
Tale of 2 Teams During Mizzou Series
Game 1 was a typical Cougar game this season: give up the first goal, only to storm back with an offensive onslaught to carry SIUe to victory. Mizzou's Danny Walsh opened up the scoring in Game 1, just over 2 minutes into the game. Then SIUE berated the Mizzou net, scoring 5 goals in 15 minutes. Led off by goals from defensemen Eric Larson and John Wright, the Cougars quickly tied and gained a 1 goal advantage. Tim Dolan would increase the lead to 2 from a Zac Bunjan feed on the power play. T.J. Henson tallied on the power play, with Tim acting as playmaker for this goal. The period would close just after Henson sniped his second goal shorthanded with 1:11 left in the opening frame.
The Cougars sat on a 4 goal advantage which would quickly dwindle away from them in the middle frame. 3 consecutive Mizzou goals would bring the Tigers within 1 with 5:49 remaining. Tim Dolan would add his 2nd of the night scoring off of a rebound in the midst of a scramble in front of Tiger 'tender Alec Schnitzler. The period would end 6-4.
It was all SIUe in the 3rd, as they would deposit 2 more from Alex Edwards and Brad Keenan (PP) to end the game 8-4. David Borre stopped 23 of 27, helping the Cougars through a few lulls throughout the 60 minute game.
Goaltending Exhibition on Display Sunday
After watching Albert Pujols smash 3 out of the park on Saturday, the Cougars had a bit of a homerun hangover going into Sunday's tilt with Mizzou. The coaching staff felt as if the the boys hadn't played a full 60 minute team game since Penn State, and Sunday's effort would be no different. T.J. Henson would notch the games first goal 80 seconds after the opening draw. Nick Webb would tie the game for Mizzou, as he would capitalize on a fanned Cougar effort to clear the puck with :07 remaining on a 5 on 3, beating Alex Garrard over his shoulder through traffic in front of the net. This period did not have much flow and played to Mizzou's advantage, as they outshot SIUe 20-14.
After getting the blood circulating after the 1st period, SIUe looked a bit quicker in the 2nd period. This period was again dominated by special teams play; 4 of 5 power-plays handed out were in favor of Mizzou. Scoring wouldn't occur until late in the period, as T.J. Henson would score his 2nd of the game shorthanded with 2:19 remaining. Mizzou would tie it again, this time scoring with :14 left in the period. Webb gained possesion of the puck all alone in the slot, firing a snap shot bar down past Garrard, as the Cougars failed to pick up their men after the faceoff.
The final period was all SIUe, and almost polar opposite of the 1st period. SIUe out shot Mizzou 15-4, and had 4 power plays, one of which would carry over for 1:10 into an eventual overtime. Schnitzler held the fort for Mizzou, stopping all 15 shots he saw, and got some help from missed opportunities including 2 shots that rang off the iron, a shanked backdoor tap in, and a wide open net which fluttered wide from a Cougar stick.
Tied after overtime, the game went to a shootout for the extra point in MACHA Conference play. Mizzou buried all 3 of their chances behind Garrard, and Schnitzler only needed 1 save to get the win, making 48 of 50 saves overall. Garrard was excellent in the 65 minutes of team play as well, executing in his strongest start so far, ending the tilt with 34 saves. Special teams killed the Cougars chances, going 0 for 8 with the man advantage. While killing off 8 of 9 power plays, those 16 minutes down a man prevented SIUe from utilizing their depth on offense.
SIUe will make the trip to Big Rapids, Michigan to take on a heavily touted Ferris State club. A sweep up north could pay huge dividends for the Cougars, as the 1st rankings period will end Sunday.
Follow SIUE Hockey on Twitter at twitter.com/#SIUE_Hockey.
Cougars Take Down Hawkeyes in 2 Game Sweep
Borre Shuts the Door-e in Series Sweep
Good things come to those who wait. In the college career of goaltender David Borre, breaking into the D2 team has been a journey, hampered by injury and previous netminders Brandon Becker and Luke Venker never relenquishing their spot to each become MACHA Goaltender's of the Year in 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively. Against Iowa, Borre was integral in the Cougars 2 game sweep, winning 5-3, and in a 4-3 shootout victoy on Saturday.
The Cougars arrived at the Coral Ridge Ice Arena 75 minutes prior to gametime, and had a tough time shaking their bus legs and using their speed against the Hawkeyes. However, John Wright would score first in Game 1, placing a textbook wrist shot over the shoulder of netminder Jeremy Poser for the 1-0 lead. The Hawkeyes would not let down, and would score the next 2 goals 3 minutes apart taking the lead 2-1. Jared Ippolito knotted the game at 2 from a Kyle Sullivan feed with 4:12 left in the first, which would be the score after 1 period of play.
Iowa's Jake Ulanski would score his 2nd of the game mid-way through the 2nd frame, and would be the only goal of the period. Cougar forward Brad Keenan would recieve a Game Misconduct and DQ, after arguing a non-call against him, a slash to the wrist resulting with his glove flying off. While this could have slowed the SIUe offense, the Cougar Blue Line, composed of Tim Dolan, Josh Bunjan and Mitchell Gevers, picked up the slack and would score the next 3 goals in the 3rd.
Gevers' power play snipe from a sharp angle fueled a Cougar comeback, as he tied the game at 3. Midway through the 3rd, Tim Dolan would score the eventual game winner, from the Henson boys at 10:41. Borre had played well throughout the game, stopping 28 of 31 Hawkeye attempts, but none were bigger than a save late in the 3rd with SIUe up 1. An Iowa player recieved a pass from the corner to Borre's right, streaking through the slot. The Hawkeye saw daylight to Borre's left and labeled a wrist shot to the low glove corner. The Senior SIUe Goaltender streched to his left, committing first degree robbery as he snagged the puck with his left hand, preserving the 1 goal advantage. TJ Henson would put the nail in the coffin, scoring an empty netter with :45 remaining.
Game 2 would be a back and forth affair, with each team surrendering a leads at different points in the tilt. SIUe would begin the game down a goal, but would have the lead by the end of the period with goals from Jared Ippolito and Cory Beck :22 apart, late in the 1st.
The score stayed 2-1 into the 3rd until PJ Marsek knotted the game at the 17:40 mark. Ippolito would strike again, receiving a tape to tape feed from Jared Heepke to regain a 1 goal advantage at 3-2. Zac Bunjan would take one of the most bizzare penalties ever seen in a hockey game, as he made contact with an official while battling for a face off. In an attempt to gain possession, Bunjan's stick grazed the inner thigh of the linesman, who then blew the play dead to inform the referee what had happened. While late in the 3rd period in a 1 goal game, he believe Bunjan's actions to be pre-meditated and would penalize him 2 minutes. The Hawkeyes would not score on the power play, but while SIUe was in the midst of swapping out special teams players and regular line combinations, Iowa would tie the game at 3.
The score would remain tied after regulation and the 4-on-4 overtime and would have to be decided in a shootout. Jared Ippolito would score on a gorgeous backhand toe pull, leaving 2 time MACHA All Star Will Dodge on his back in the net.
(Thanks to Debbie for the Video!)
Iowa would tie on their 3rd shooter, and would force a sudden death situation. Each team's 4th gunner missed, which brought up T.J Henson. He would find paydirt on a quick 5 hole shot past Dodge, who was excellent all afternoon. Borre made the final stop, giving SIUe the sweep. Borre finished with 40 saves, improving to 3-0.
Cougars Host 1st Place Tigers Thursday and Sunday at East Alton
The Cougars will host the Missouri Tigers this Thursday and Sunday at the East Alton Ice Arena. MIzzou has improved tremendously since last season, and have played the Cougars tight in since joining the MACHA Gold Division in 2005-06. Mizzou sits at #1 in the MACHA Gold Divsion, 4-0 with sweeps against Kansas and SLU.
Cougars Sweep Showcase; Move to 5-0
Tougher Schedule No Match for Total Team Effort
A team with nothing to lose is a wild card; that team plus talent and motivation can be unbeatable. Last year's romp through the ACHA Showcase in Youngstown, OH, was percieved as a fluke, a sweep only justified because of a weak 3 game schedule. ACHA Division 2 Commisioner Mike Radokovich made an appearance in the SIUe locker room before Game 1 against Kentucky, telling the Cougar players that he didnt realize how good they were last season, and that last years results more than likely wouldnt occur again, as this year's schedule included perennial Regional and National Contenders Kentucky, Texas A&M, and a team forecasted to have a huge year, Penn State.
The underdog Cougars awoke from the drawn out pre-game speech and took on Kentucky in Game 1. The first period was back and forth with both teams tied by the end of the first 20 minutes, as each would give up a 1 goal lead. Alex Edwards and Tim Dolan would tally for SIUe, but a Wildcat power play goal with :28 remaining would even the game at 2-2.
Kentucky would take the lead in the middle frame on a Hunter Lyons goal on a delayed penalty call at the 6:20 mark, but the Cougars T.J. Henson would answer short-handed to lock the game at 3-3 after 2 periods.
Edwardsville High School graduate Mitchell Gevers would score his first ever collegiate goal, a goal which would hold up as the game winner, as he blasted a slap shot from the slot past the blocker hand of UK netminder Aaron Tenfelde, giving the Cougars a 4-3 lead. Josh Bunjan would put the icing on the cake, scoring an empty net goal with :29 remaining, getting the Cougars a 5-3 win. Freshman Alex Garrard was solid, stopping 32 of 35 Wildcat shots for the victory.
Cougars Early Offense Aides in Win over Texas A&M
Hot off of a Game 1 victory, SIUe would face Texas A&M, a team that finished #10 in the West Region last season, and beat Washington 5-3 in their first tilt of the Showcase. The Cougars would jump on the board with 4 consecutive goals; Josh Bunjan, and Brad Keenan scoring in the 1st period, and T.J. Henson and John Wright in the 2nd.
Up by a grand slam, the Cougars lowered their guard and paid for it, as the Aggies deposited 2 behind David Borre 5 minutes apart, to cut the Cougar lead to 4-2. Cory Beck would stop the bleeding, scoring a backbreaking shorthanded goal with 57.9 left in the 2nd period, as the Cougars had a 5-2 lead heading into the final frame.
The Aggies wouldn't quit, scoring a quick goal to open up the period, cutting the SIUe lead to 5-3. A&M would press on in the 3rd, creating quality scoring chances in front of Borre, but couldn't find paydirt. Kyle Sullivan changed the game with an atomic bomb of a hit, nearly embedding an A&M player in the corner-boards to Borre's left. Feeling the energy, the Rockford connection of Edwards and Ippolito would score a power play goal, with Ippolito feathering a pass to the tape of Edwards from behind the net, banged home by the Cele King for a 6-3 advantage. A&M would score late with 1:22 to play, but their late push was all for naught, as SIUe would take Game 2 6-4.
Complete Team Effort Rallies SIUe past Penn State 6-5
Teams can come togther in heartbeat once they laugh in the face of adversity and rise above it. Sunday's game against Penn State would meet that critieria, as the Cougars would pick each other up, and would battle back after a fluke goal or mistake like it never happened.
Penn State came in to the Showcase as a highly favored team in the Southeast Region, primarily because of their recent announcement of a Division 1 NCAA team in Happy Valley. This would lead to a trickle down effect of their ACHA team being unreal. This year's Penn State ACHA D1 team has recruits and the head coach for the NCAA team that will begin play next fall; with those new recruits means that ACHA D1 players from last year will have to handle the bump down to D2. In short, the Ice Lions should run through every team they play, says Commisioner Radokovich.
Amidst the hype of Penn State, the attitude of the Cougars strengthened, and as Red Line forward Brad Keenan quipped, "This game will define who we are, and test the character of this team." That character was tested off the bat, as Penn State scored a fluke goal off of a shot from the blue line, that hit off of Alex Garrard's stick, popped over his head, and bounced in the net, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead. After a too many men on the ice penalty, Jared Ippolito dashed down the ice and sniped a shot over the glove of PSU goalie Ryan Demuth, tying the game at 1. Captain John Wright would score his first of 2 power play goals 6 minutes later, ringing a wrist shot off the post and in, to give the Cougars a 2-1 advantage. The Ice Lions would tie the game just 1:44 before the period ended, as Austin Meehan would score short-side over Garrard's left shoulder.
This game resembled a Heavyweight boxing match, as one team would land a blow only for the other team to counter with one of their own. PSU would take a 3-2 lead less than 2 minutes into the middle frame, but Cory Beck would answer on the power play just 1:46 later, waiting patiently before firing a wrist shot between the pads of Demuth. While that ended the scoring in the 2nd, the Cougars out-chanced PSU by a wide margin, only to have wide open rebounds either bounce over their sticks, or were blocked by defencemen in front of the PSU net.
The final stanza in this hockey haiku was one of the most nail-biting in recent memory. Penn State would regain the lead, scoring a goal that defies the laws of physics, past Cougar netminder Garrard. The Lions would win the draw deep in the SIUe zone, and Patrick Kinch took a wrist shot from the blue line that went over the shoulder of an upright 6'1 Garrard at the top of his crease, and dipped behind him, hitting the crossbar and in. Less than a minute later, offensive dynamo Eric Larson ripped a wrist shot from a severe angle, beating the Ice Lion goaltender between his legs to tie the game at 4. John Wright would score his 2nd power play goal past the left leg of Demuth, giving SIUe a 5-4 lead at the 7:23 mark of the 3rd. PSU would tie the game on the power play, scoring on a scrum in front of Garrard with 4:51 to play in regulation.
Then with 2:50 remaining, Tim Dolan may as well have replaced #9 with #19 on his back. His brother and Assistant Coach Mike Dolan, notched 10 game winning goals in his last 3 years with the Cougars. That Dolan magic popped on Tim's stick as he entered the offensive zone 2 on 3. Tim used the Penn State defense as a screen and fired a wrist shot at the net, glove side. Demuth had the luck of 1993 Philidelphia Phillies reliever Mitch Williams, as both gave up the game winning score late in their respective games. Williams, allowed a walk-off 3-run bomb to Joe Carter in the 9th to give Toronto its 2nd consecutive World Series. In this game however, Dolan's shot would pop out of the webbing of Demuth's glove, and rested on the ice behind the goal line, giving the Cougars a 6-5 lead. SIUe would have to kill off a Penn State power play with 1:40 remaining to ensure the upset, and did so only allowing a shot from the red line at the end of the game.
Garrard, while battling some fluky goals, improved to a 4-0 record stopping 26 of 31 PSU shots. Any team could have packed it in after a fluke goal to a heavily favored opponent, but this team grew stronger, picked up their rookie goaltender and recovered. Keenan's quote rang true, this team's character was abundant, not only in their play, but in their attitude on the bench, as they prevailed in what may be a turning point in this young season.
SIUE will enter MACHA Gold Conference play this weekend as they travel to Iowa to take on the Hawkyes in a 2 game set. Follow SIUE Hockey on Twitter at twitter.com/#SIUE_Hockey.
Cougars D2 Wreck Minnesota in Opening Series
SIUe Offense scores 19 in 2 game sweep of the Gophers
October 2, 2011 -The Cougars D2 opened up the 2011-12 regular season against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, a team that won the WCCHA last season, yet failed to make regionals finishing at #11. With regional contenders throughout the Central Region splitting series to open up the season, the Cougars knew that each game could be pivotal in scoring a high rank in the first ranking period.
Game 1 opened up with both teams showing some nerves as it was each team's first game of the year, but T.J Henson would score on the backhand at the 12:51 mark to draw first blood for the Cougars. The Gophers would even the game at 1 with 4:49 remaining, but a set faceoff play would give the Cougars the edge late after 1 period. SIUe had an opportunity with a faceoff deep in the Gopher zone with :25 seconds remaining. Assistant Coach Mike Dolan went with his gut and sent out the Yellow Line, consisting of Rockford natives Jared Ippolito, Alex Edwards, and Edwardsville's own Josh Bunjan, and it paid off as Bunjan pushed the puck forward to Edwards, who found Ippolito all alone for a one timer, giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
SIUe broke it open in the 2nd, outscoring their opponent 3-1 in the middle frame. Ippolito would add his 2nd, on a one timer from a sharp angle, from Josh Bunjan to open the period. T.J. Henson would notch a hat trick, scoring his 2nd and 3rd, the latter a silky-smooth backhand shot just past goaltender Nik Job's blocker side, off the post, and in behind with :04 left in the period. The Gray Line, consisting of Jared Heepke, Abram Henson and freshman Garrett Charton, aided in breaking down the Gophers, as their shifts had the effect of a bomb exploding with Gophers strewn all over the ice, and gasping for air as they iced the puck to get a stoppage.
The only friend for Minnesota was the break between periods, as the Gophers would try and storm back in the 3rd, scoring 2 goals :30 apart on odd-man rushes, getting within 1 at 5-4. The Cougars would extend their lead back to 2 goals as Edwards would finish off a Brad Keenan feed at the 7:54 mark for the 6-4 advantage. Tim Dolan would finalize the scoring, tapping home a rebound created by September Moustache Boy Zac Bunjan and Eric Warta, getting the Cougars a 7-4 victory. SIUe freshman netminder Alex Garrard notched his first collegiate win, stopping 32 of 36 shots.
Beck, Ippolito Each Notch Hat Tricks in Decimation of Gophers 12-3
SIUe continued the offensive explosion in a grand fashion on Saturday, mauling the Gophers 12-3. Jared Ippolito and Cory Beck each tickled the twine 3 times, and Josh Bunjan, Alex Edwards, Abram Henson, Brad Keenan, T.J. Henson, and Garrett Charton all scored for the Cougars. All of the scoring was done in the first 2 periods as the Cougars had a 5-2 lead after the 1st, and ended the 2nd up 12-3. Alex Garrard won his 2nd game, stopping 23 of 26 through 40 minutes of play. David Borre came in the 3rd and finished with a blank frame, stopping all 12 shots he saw. This game could have been much closer, as Minnesota only scored 2 on 14 man advantage opportunities, 4 of which were of the 5 on 3 variety. The Cougars Power Play scored when called upon, capitalizing on 3 of 5 opportunities. SIUe outshot the Gophers 41-38 overall.
The Cougars next action will be at the ACHA Showcase in Wentzville, MO, where they will take on Kentucky on Friday at 10am, Texas A&M on Saturday at 11:45am, and a highly touted Penn State team Sunday at 7pm. Follow SIUE Hockey on Twitter at twitter.com/#SIUE_Hockey.
