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 Jeff Caister posted two points in Saturday's loss to RMU. |
Feb. 9, 2008
DETROIT - The Wayne State men's hockey team (8-20-2, 4-10-0 CHA) was swept at home in its weekend series with Robert Morris (13-11-3, 8-4-2 CHA) following a 4-3 overtime loss Saturday night at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum.
Chris Margott scored the game-winning power-play goal 58 seconds into the extra frame, giving the Colonials their fifth straight victory this season against the Warriors.
Leading the offense for Wayne State with a goal each were Jeff Caister (Mississauga, Ont./Milton Icehawks), Derek Bachynski (Belle River, Ont./Leamington Flyers), and Jared Katz (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Baystate Breakers). Caister also had an assist for his fifth multiple-point game of the season.
Ryan Cruthers netted his first of two goals 1:47 after the opening faceoff to put the visitors ahead by one, collecting a rebound in front of the net off a shot by Denny Urban, who earned an assist along with Kyle Burton.
On a WSU power play, a blast from just inside the blue line by Caister that sailed over the glove of RMU goaltender Christian Boucher knotted the score at the 6:01 mark.
Bachynski gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead three minutes into the second period, as he successfully redirected a slap shot from Matt Krug (Livonia, Mich./Texas Tornado).
Two Robert Morris goals scored 17 seconds apart, however, quickly put the momentum back in favor of the Colonials.
Cruthers tallied his second of the game at 11:01, finishing a pass across the zone from Margott with a one-timer. Nathan Longpre struck at 11:18, putting in a rebound off the pads of WSU goaltender Brett Bothwell (Red Deer, Alb./Yorkton Terriers).
With just under five minutes remaining in regulation, the Warriors put together a nice play which culminated with Katz' equalizer at the 15:05 mark. Caister sent a feed from the neutral zone ahead to Tylor Michel (Sudbury, Ont./Owen Sound Saugeen Greys), who found Katz breaking in on the left side. Katz capped off the play with a backhand which found the net just under the crossbar.
Margott's overtime goal from Urban and Chris Kaufman ended any hopes of a split, as the Colonials capitalized on a power-play opportunity stemming from penalties called at the end of the third period.
Bothwell totaled 28 saves, 18 of which came in the first period. Boucher had 22 saves for RMU, including 10 in each of the final two periods.
Wayne State travels to Alabama-Huntsville next weekend, Feb. 16-17.