January 3, 2004
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.The Niagara University men’s ice hockey team scored with 10 seconds left in regulation on an extra attacker goal by senior Joe Tallari to forge a 2-2 non-conference tie with 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Saturday night at Dwyer Arena.
The Purple Eagles (10-8-2, 6-0 CHA) pulled goaltender Jeff VanNynattan with 1:45 left in regulation in favor of an extra skater. The gamble paid off as Tallari found the back of the net at 19:50 to force overtime. Barret Ehgoetz and Casey Handrahan assisted on the goal.
After playing through scoreless first and second periods, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø (8-7-3) got on the board at 2:07 of the third on Rob Brown’s (Brockville, Ont.) third goal of the season. Paul Kelley (Grand Forks, B.C.) sent a pass to Brown from along the left boards and Brown beat VanNynattan stick side.
The Raiders took a 2-0 advantage at 5:27 when Darryl McKinnon’s (Port Elgin, Ont.) shot went through the legs of VanNynattan. Jon Smyth (Markham, Ont.) and Ryan Smyth (Clarence Creek, Ont.) assisted on the goal.
Barret Ehgoetz cut the lead at 9:36 when he picked up Chris Welch’s rebound and went around 51³Ô¹ÏÍø goaltender Steve Silverthorn (Owen Sound, Ont.) and wristed a shot into an open net.
Silverthorn finished the night with 19 saves while VanNynattan stopped 22 shots. Neither team recorded a shot in the extra session.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø returns to league action on Friday night with a 7 p.m. game at Brown.