BRUNSWICK, Me. – Trailing 2-1,
Owen Sweet '25 scored the game-tying goal with 1:16 left in regulation, as the Wesleyan men's hockey team managed to fight back and secure a 2-2 tie on Friday night at Bowdoin. Wesleyan (13-5-3, 9-3-3 NESCAC) remains in second place in the NESCAC standings while the Cardinals have yet to lose in regulation through 15 conference games. Bowdoin (11-7-3, 5-7-3 NESCAC) remains winless in their last four games.
In a game that featured a wild ending to regulation and the overtime session, Sweet's dramatics helped secure a result for Wesleyan who own a two-point lead over both Amherst and Hamilton for second place in the NESCAC standings.
Sweet's game-tying goal came with just 1:16 left in regulation as
DJ Dixon '24 won a faceoff with the Cardinals on the power play and with an empty net for a 6-on-4 advantage. The puck was sent to
Jake Lachance '23 at the point who quickly passed to
Emmet Powell '23 below the blue line. Carrying in, Powell lined up a shot that hit the right leg pad of Alex Kozic. The rebound then fell to Sweet who fired in the equalizer.
A very timely goal from Sweet came just 16 seconds after Bowdoin appeared to have scored an empty netter that would've put the game away. Albert Washco fired an attempt from below the faceoff dot in the Bowdoin defensive end that clanged off the left pipe. With the rebound still loose, Ean Small looked to have scored the game-winner but the referee blew his whistle for a hooking call on Powell as the two came together trying to corral the loose puck.
The overtime period saw chance after chance go by the waste side as each team had odd-man rushes up and down the ice.
Erik Voloshin '24 was outstanding, denying Erik Brown who wound up for a one-timer from the slot only to be denied by the glove of Voloshin. Then in the final seconds, with Bowdoin on a 3-on-1 break, Joe Alexander saw a low blocker attempt turned aside as the game finished in a 2-2 tie.
Wesleyan went out front midway through the second period as
Ethan Davidson '26 was on the finishing end of a great breakout with a series of passes from
Colin Cobb '23 to Lachance, back to Cobb who fed Davidson for the one-timer to break the deadlock.
Bowdoin managed to even the score at 1-1 late in the second as Bobby Pearl buried the goal from just inside the far post.
The Polar Bears took their first lead of the game at 9:53 in the third. Gabe Shipper passed the puck from the right side boards to Ethan Kimball in the middle. Kimball shifted the puck left to Alexander who carried and backhanded a pass back to Kimball on the far side for a tally.
Sweet's goal was his ninth of the season, second-highest total on the team. Lachance picked up two assists, bringing his season total to 16 assists and 22 points in 19 games. Cobb's assist is his team and NESCAC leading 17
th of the season. Davidson now has seven goals in his rookie season.
Voloshin recorded 32 saves, his third 30+ save game in 11 starts this season.
Wesleyan closes out their Maine road trip on Saturday with a 3 PM puck drop against Colby.
