GREELEY, Colo. – In the most exciting game this year, the East Texas Baptist University hockey team won a shoot out battle over Weber State, 5-4, after tying through overtime. The win moves ETBU to 21-2 overall and 3-0 at the Big Mountain Classic.
ETBU had the chance to play in the Greeley Ice Haus as Filip Soderström,
Mitchell Dolese,
Dominic Desjardins, and
Spencer Mills all claimed regulation goals. The game-winning-goal was scored by
Avery Cook in the third round of the shoot-out.
Angus Laing was the netminder for the Tigers, once again, stopping 24 out of the 28 shots he faced.
Game 3: ETBU 5, WSU 4
The Tiger's offense struggled to find the net and went scoreless in the first period with the Wildcats scoring twice. ETBU was down 2-0 as they headed to the second period.
Continuing to struggle in the start of the second period, WSU managed to score another goal with 13:58 remaining to push the lead to 3-0. ETBU finally broke through the Wildcat defense with a wrap-around goal scored by Soderstrom. Roughly 6:00 later, Dolese scored to come within one, 3-2. With only 0:30 left before the second intermission, Desjardins scored his only goal of the game, forcing a tie game as they headed into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
The final period started out with the Wildcats scoring a short-handed goal just 7:34 in to go back on top, 4-3. Barely 0:51 later, ETBU went on the power play and Mills used the one-man-advantage to score the equalizer, assisted by
Ryley Hogan, to tie it at four. In a constant back and forth of pressure from both sides, the game reminded tied, resulting in the Tiger's first sudden-death overtime of the season. Both clubs were unable to score the game-winning goal forcing ETBU's first shoot-out draw of the year.
After three successful saves from Laing, ETBU sent out Cook for an attempt. He successfully executed Nikita Kucherov's famous goal by faking a shot attempt and shooting the puck through the Wildcat's goalie's five-hole, giving the Tigers a huge, 5-4, win.
ETBU will take on the Colorado University on Monday in their final game in Colorado.
