Posted: Feb 10, 2017
MHKY | Voyageurs Win 3rd in a Row With 6-5 OT Win Over Gee-Gees
On Friday night, the Voyageurs men's hockey team won their third game in a row with a thrilling back and forth 6-5 overtime win over the University of Ottawa Gee Gees.
The Voyageurs did not get off to the start they wanted, surrendering the first goal of the game just 30 seconds in as John Deacon scored an unnsasisted breakaway goal on Joel Vienneau. Ottawa struck again six minutes later on the powerplay when Jacob Sweeney rifled one through the glove of Vienneau, giving the Gee Gees a 2-0 lead. The Vees would respond with a goal of their own at 11:20 on the powerplay when Caleb Apperson scored a beauty passing play set up by Dylan Fitze and Elliott Richardson. Nick Esposto tied the game three minutes later as he found himself in alone on a breakaway and ripped a shot over the glove of Graham Hunt. The Vees would take their first lead of the game with five minutes left in the first period when Tyler Shaw pounced on a loose puck and buried the rebound. Graham Yeo and Richard Therrien picked up the assists on Shaw's goal.
Laurentian took a page out of the Gee Gees book in the second period, scoring a goal just 1:33 into the second period when Dylan Fitze scored from behind the goal line, giving the Vees a 4-2 lead. Much like the Voyageurs did in the first, the Gee Gees began the comeback in the second frame. Gabriel Vermette scored on an unassisted rush as he beat Charlie Millen, who came in in relief of Joel Vienneau, over the blocker side. Then, with just three minutes left in the second, Mathieu Newcomb capatalized on a momentary lapse in defensive coverage and scored a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 4-4.
The third period was a little more tame, as each team was unwilling to give up the go ahead goal. Connor Sills would solve the Vees defense at 13:13 when his shot redirected off a Voyageur defenseman and passed Charlie Millen for the go ahead goal. However, in the final few minutes and on the powerplay, Nick Esposto redirected in his second goal of the evening to tie the game.
Then, in overtime, Graham Yeo scored an almost identical goal to Esposto as he redirected a Nicolas Thommen shot to seal the deal and win the game for the Voyageurs.
With the win, the Voyageurs will try and win their fourth in a row against their predicted first round playoff opponent at 7:35PM.