HARTFORD, Conn. – After a riveting end to regulation that saw Trinity score a go-ahead goal with 13 seconds on the clock, only to see Ben Burns '26 net a game-tying goal with six seconds left, the Bantams won the opening face off in overtime and David Burleson scored the game-winner late in the shot clock as Trinity (7-4, 3-3 NESCAC) pulled out a 10-9 OT win over the No. 8 ranked Cardinals (8-3, 5-2 NESCAC) on Wednesday night.
 
Both defenses dominated the action in the first half, with the two sides combining for just six goals in the opening two quarters as the score was tied 3-3 at the half. Wesleyan was made to rue their missed chances in the first quarter where the Cardinals generated 16 shot attempts, but only scored one goal as Bantam goalkeeper Jordan Opdahl set the tone for the night with seven first quarter saves.
 
Goals were just as hard to come by in the second quarter as Opdahl made four more saves, giving him 11 in the first half, while Conor Selfridge '26 made three himself in the cage for Wesleyan, as just two goals were scored by both teams, making it 3 apiece at halftime.
 
Building off a late Alex Moynihan '24 goal in the second quarter, the Cardinals scored the first two goals of the third quarter on an extended 3-0 scoring run. James Bailey '26 found the back of the net while Moynihan scored his second of the night four minutes later to make it 5-3 Cardinals.
 
The two sides traded goals before a late third quarter goal from Peter Cannon kick started a 4-0 Bantam run that extended deep into the fourth quarter. Face offs went the way of Trinity in the scoring run as the Cardinals had just one shot attempt in that 4-0 spurt.
 
Following a Jon Krikorian goal made it 8-6 Trinity, Wesleyan scored a pair of goals in just 35 seconds as Burns and Moynihan scored to even the score at 8-8. Both teams had chances over the next 5+ minutes with no goals coming until Bo Page scored with 13 seconds remaining as Trinity looked to have found the game-winner late.
 
However, Jackson Tinari '26 secured a must-win face off and in need of a quick shot, Joe Hurton '27 looked upfield for Burns who scored with just six seconds left.
 
In a pulse-pounding final minute, Trinity had one last ditch attempt to win in regulation. Hayden Shin won the face off to John Cowdrick who flung a shot on Selfridge who made the save as the clock expired, sending the game into overtime.
 
Shin won the face off to start OT and after well over a minute on offense, Trinity had to make a play with the shot clock about to wind down. Jake Connors picked up a loose ground ball and flung a pass to Burleson who beat Selfridge low for the game-winning tally that sent off a massive Bantam celebration in front of the Cardinal bench.
 
Stats were nearly even across the board while the 17 saves for Opdahl, 11 of which coming in the first half, loomed large in the outcome of the contest.
 
Moynihan registered three goals and one assist for a career-high four points while this is his first career hat trick. Will Miller '26 finished with one goal and three assists for a season-high four points. Burns had two goals and one assist while DJ Dixon '24, Bailey, and Hurton all had two points each.
 
Tinari went 7-for-14 on his face off opportunities, adding three ground balls. Selfridge made 12 saves in net for the third straight game.
 
This marked just the second time overtime was needed to determine a winner in the 70 all-time meetings between the two teams.
 
Wesleyan looks to regroup on Saturday with a trip to Hamilton.