Box score from Ken Schott, the Daily Gazette, 1/15/2000 Friday, January 14, 2000 Achilles Rink, Schenectady, NY ECAC League Game RPI 1 0 1 0 - 2 Union 0 0 2 1 - 3 First period: 1) RPI, Tapper 22 (Eberly, Pothier) 4:55 (pp) Penalties: Murley, RPI (high-sticking) 1:37 Christiansen, Union (interference) 4:07 Dupee, RPI (high-sticking) 12:29 Kean, Union (slashing) 18:01 Gardiner, RPI (interference) 19:14 Cyr, Union (hitting after whistle) 20:00 Second period: no scoring. Penalties: Union bench, served by Yackel (delay of game) :27 Reigstad, RPI (holding) 5:34 Gardiner, RPI (high-sticking) 13:29 Campbell, Union (high-sticking) 13:29 McPherson, RPI (hooking) 15:34 Ralph, Union (hooking) 17:12 Third period: 2) RPI, Tapper 23 (Pothier, Murley) 5:46 (pp) 3) Union, Alex Todd 3, 17:45 (sh) 4) Union, Ryan Campbell 4 (Hutchins, Wilson) 19:24 Penalties: Eberly, RPI (hooking) 2:25 Westerman, Union (roughing) 5:26 Kilfoy, Union (interference) 5:32 McPherson, RPI (interference) 8:12 Reigstad, RPI (high-sticking) 9:15 Hutchins, Union (holding) 17:14 Overtime: 5) Union, Todd 4, 4:30 no penalties. Shots on goal: RPI 15-15-6-2--38, Union 5-10-11-5--31. Power plays: RPI 2 of 8, Union 0 of 8. Goalies: RPI, Prekaski, 4-3-0 (31 shots-28 saves) Union, Brandon Snee, 6-13-0 (35-33) Attendance: 2504/2504 You go to the games year after year, just hoping to see something like this. Union fans were asked to come out to support their team on "Blizzard Warning" night by wearing white. The fans responded by filling Achilles Rink for the first time this season, with many wearing white and waving white towels. After disappointing the big crowd for much of the game, the Dutchmen responded too. Alex Todd started and finished one of the most unlikely comebacks you'll ever see with a shorthanded goal late in the third and the game-winner in overtime as Union beat RPI, 3-2. Union goalie Brandon Snee played an outstanding game to keep Union close enough to mount the late rally. Right from the start, Union looked shaky. RPI was outskating them and getting all of the offensive chances. RPI jumped on the board early with a power-play goal by leading scorer Brad Tapper. It was also obvious right from the start that Snee was sharp. He did allow the Tapper goal, but stopped a few other very good chances. Frederic Cyr was called for a late hit on Tapper at the end of the period. Union's Jason Kean had to serve one remaining second of a penalty at the start of the third, after which the teams were skating 4-on-4. Union thought they tied it at 27 seconds but the whistle had clearly blown before the puck went in. Unfortunately, some of the Union crowd decided to throw their oranges anyway, resulting in a bench minor. I don't know what kind of fans think it's a good idea to cause a penalty on their own team, but that's exactly what they did. This is one tradition which has got to end. The bench minor resulted in a 45-second 5-on-3 situation for RPI. Union did a nice job killing that off to keep it a 1-0 game. Snee's biggest save of the game came in the second when he somehow slid to his right to get a skate on an RPI shot that seemed to be headed into a wide open net. Later in the period, Snee or someone out in front deflected a shot up and behind Snee. It landed in the crease near the post to his left. Snee got his skate over to kick it into the corner before an RPI player could knock it in. Also in the second, a Union turnover left Tapper and I think Matt Murley alone in front of Snee with a 2 on none. Tapper elected to shoot and Snee made the stop. I believe it would have been an easy goal if he passed it. Union was fortunate to be down only 1-0 after being outshot 30-15 over the first two periods. Union only had the 15 shots and few good scoring chances, but Scott Prekaski looked a little shaky at times. After about a minute went by in the third, the game was stopped because the water put down by the zamboni had not yet frozen. I am not sure why no one came out to push away the water, or at least maybe open the zamboni door to cool off the building. 2500 people make it very warm in Achilles. Once the ice froze and play resumed, bad penalties cost the Dutchmen. First Bryant Westerman put a little extra into a check and was called for roughing. Just a few seconds later, Paul Kilfoy took an interference penalty behind the play. It took RPI only 14 seconds of 5-on-3 to get their second goal, again by Tapper. Soon after Union killed off the rest of the Kilfoy penalty, they ended up with a 5-on-3 of their own. With Andrew McPherson already off on an interference call, Jared Reigstad was called for a high-stick during a pileup in the crease. I thought someone, I'm not sure it was Reigstad, should have been given a major for spearing a Union player who was down in the crease. Union still did get almost a full minute of 5-on-3, but couldn't take advantage. Union picked up the offensive pressure in the second half of the third. They had plenty of good opportunities which were stopped by Prekaski, went just wide, or slipped off their sticks. It seemed they would at least get within one if they could keep the pressure on, but then Jeff Hutchins was called for a hold with 2:46 to go and it looked like it was over. Even if they killed off the penalty, Union would have only 46 seconds to get back two goals. Some people started to leave. Some people don't know hockey. I think some of the RPI players thought it was over, too. Union needed to be aggressive on the penalty kill, and they were. Alex Todd was able to get the puck into the offensive zone, and took a shot from the blue line that beat Prekaski to pull Union to within one with 2:15 left. There was a brief delay as a more oranges came out. I still would like to know who thinks it's a good idea to risk another bench minor which would probably take away any chance to tie. Union was lucky that no penalty was called, but they did still need to kill off the rest of the Hutchins penalty. With about 15 seconds left on the penalty and about a minute left in the game, Union broke the puck out of the zone and Snee followed the rush out and got to the bench for the extra skater, making it 5-on-5. RPI dumped the puck out once but on the second rush up ice, Hutchins came out of the box and joined the play for a 6-on-5 skating advantage. A few seconds later, Ryan Campbell had put in the tying goal and Achilles Rink was as loud as I've ever heard it. Unfortunately, the idiots struck again with a few more oranges, but no penalty was called. Union had the better of the chances in the overtime. They clearly were not going to sit back and settle for the tie. With 30 seconds left in overtime, Todd once again found himself with a chance to shoot. His shot beat Prekaski just under the crossbar to his left. The Dutchmen piled on top of Todd in front of the penalty box. The deafening cheer continued through the handshake, and stick salute, and until every player and coach left the ice. Some pictures from this one will be available at http://www.vu.union.edu/~hockey/1999-2000/hockey-20000114 This is the kind of win that can do a lot for the program overall. All those people who came out for a game for the first time will be back. If you saw it (and are not an RPI fan) you will want to see more college hockey. Union improves to 4-5-0 in the league, 6-13-0 overall, while RPI stands at 4-4-1, 12-6-1. Same teams Saturday night in Troy.