Towson Stuns Eastern Michigan 6-5
Tigers Score 3 Goals In Final Four Minutes
February 1st, 2009 at 6:55AM February 2nd, 2009 5:42AM
Mount Pleasant, Pa - Eastern Michigan used strong special teams play to build an 4-2 lead after two periods, but Towson rallied late for a stunning 6-5 victory.
Michael Kowalski got things rolling for Eastern Michigan with a power play tally with just under three minutes remaining in the opening stanza. Ryan Cowdell knotted the game at one by registering the tying goal with 54 seconds remaing in the first.
Eastern Michigan sandwich a Towson tally by Mike Inge with goals by Kyle Stambersky and Adam Iwanow to take a 3-2 lead into the final minutes of the second period. Stambersky scored his second goal of the period, this time while down a man, to give EMU the 4-2 lead heading into the all important third and final period.
Ryan Cowdell and Mike French exchanged goals in the opening minutes of the third period, setting up the exciting finish with EMU in the lead 5-3.
Mike Inge then took over the game, scoring back-to-back power play goals to knot the game at 5-5 with just 1:32 remaining the game. Inge's game tying goal was also his third tally of the game. And with 16 seconds remaining in the contest, it was Inge again who was all over the rink for Towson.
Inge forced a turnover at the center of the rink and carried the loose puck into the EMU zone. Eastern's defense held, forcing Inge into a desperation back hand pass towards the net. It was there that Ryan Cowdell found the puck on his stick before sliding in into the wide open net with no time showing on the clock for a 6-5 victory. The puck crossed the line with just .1 seconds on the clock and sealed a huge come from behind victory for Towson who is quickly garnering a reputation for third period comebacks.
Eastern Michigan will close out their visit to the ECRHA with a game against first place Rutgers at noon on Sunday.