Box Score DURHAM, N.H. – UNH twice answered game-tying goals in the third period from Bentley sophomore Kyle Schmidt (Menomonee Falls, Wisc./Sioux Falls) as the Wildcats came away with a 5-4 victory over the Falcons in a non-conference game Saturday night at the Whittemore Center.
With Bentley trailing 3-2 entering the 3rd period, Schmidt and line mate Max French (West Kelowna, B.C./West Kelowna) combined on the first of two goals at 3:53. French hit Schmidt in front of the net from the right wing to tie the game 3-3.
But just 12 seconds later off the ensuing face-off, UNH took the lead back from freshman defenseman Matt Dawson.
The Falcons though weren't deterred as Schmidt and French combined again on a tying goal. On a rush down the ice, French hit Schmidt from the right wing for a quick one-timer in the slot to knot the game 4-4 at 5:17. The goals were the 5th and 6th of the season for Schmidt.
UNH however, again had an answer. Left wing Shane Eiserman fed line mate Maxim Gaudreault a backhand pass from behind the net, and the Wildcats took the lead for good 5-4 at 8:31.
Following a UNH save and Bentley's timeout with 1:10 remaining, goaltender Gabe Antoni (Lansdale, Pa./Springfield) was pulled for the extra-attacker but they could not find the tying goal.
Bentley jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 5:03 in to the game after taking advantage of a UNH turnover in its own zone, and Derek Bacon (Calgary, Alberta/Okotoks) finishing it off with the goal. Bentley gathered the puck off the turnover in the corner followed by defenseman Billy Eiserman (Newburyport, Mass./Chicago) hitting Bacon in front of the net. Bacon then did the rest, deking around UNH goalie Danny Tirone for his 1st goal of the season.
A little over three minutes later though, UNH's top line created the tying goal as left wing Dan Correale one-timed a cross-ice pass from defenseman Dylan Chanter on the far post at 8:47.
Less than two minutes later the Wildcats scored their first power play goal of the night from center Andrew Poturalski to give them a 2-1 lead at 10:37 with his nation-best 12th of the season.
But Bentley quickly tied it at 11:52 as freshman Drew Callin (Middleton, Wisc./Janesville) ringed in his first career goal off the post, with line mate Jake Ahlgren (Fergus Falls, Minn./Wenatchee) setting him up.
UNH got the only goal of the 2nd period in which they outshot the Falcons 13-10. It was a power play goal from defenseman Matias Cleland at 8:16, who one-timed a slap shot from the point after taking a pass from down low by Poturalski to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.
The Wildcats held a 37-34 edge in shots as they improve to 4-6-3 on the season. Bentley drops to 5-6-1. They get back on the ice Tuesday night at home against AIC.
