Bollig, Petizian beat Yale 3-2 in overtime
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Freshman Brandon Bollig reached out and poked the puck over the goal line in a scramble around the net with 1:14 gone in overtime to lift St. Lawrence University to a 3-2 win over Yale in the ECAC Hockey opener for both teams at Appleton Arena Friday night.
Senior defenseman Matt Generous started the game-winning play as he broke into the Yale zone and sent a shot just wide of the net. Travis Vermeulen controlled the puck behind the net and sent it to Bollig at the side of the cage and the Saint rookie scored his third of the season as he poked it behind Yale goalie Billy Blase and just inside the far post to give the Saints their fourth straight victory.
Junior goaltender Alex Petizian was spectacular in net for the Saints, particularly in the second period when he made 17 of his 36 saves. Petizian won his fourth straight start for the Saints as the Saints won their league home opener for the third time in the last four seasons.
"Alex was tremendous again and he really kept us in it in the second period," said Saint coach Joe Marsh. "He made a couple of very athletic saves on what looked to be sure goals. Yale is a very talented hockey team and played a tough game. I was pleased with the way we were able to withstand their second period pressure and come out and play an even third period."
The Saints wasted little time in hitting the scoreboard as senior center Brock McBride scored on a power play rebound just 3:28 into the game. Yale came back to tie it when sophomore Broc Little stole the puck in the neutral zone and broke in on Saint goalie Alex Petizian, scoring his first of the year on a tuck-in at 8:05, but the Saints came back to regain the lead just over a minute later when Casey Parenteau beat a Yale defender to the puck behind the Yale net and centered it to junior Mike McKenzie, who buried his fourth of the year at 9:43.
The Elis dominated the second period, outshooting the Saints 18-5, but Petizian kept the Saints in it with a number of spectacular saves. The tyin g goal came with 5:35 to go in the period as Matthew Nelson scored his first of the year when he shot glanced off a sliding Saint defender and went just under the crossbar to make it a 2-2 game after two periods.
The third period was fairly even with the Saints showing a 12-11 edge in shots, but Yale had a chance to win it late in regulation when they had a power play chance with 2:19 to play. The Saints, who led the nation in penalty killing, made it a perfect five-for-five on the kill for the night, allowing just two shots in the power play chance, to preserve the 2-2 tie and set up the overtime.