Late Goal Lifts Neumann To Tie

After overcoming an early two-goal deficit Neumann College found themselves facing another deficit with time running down in the third period, but thanks to an opportune goal they were able to pull out a 4-4 tie with Texas-Dallas on the first night of action. 

 

Off of a face-off tie-up to the right of the UT-Dallas net, Neumann?s Victor Scotto (2 goals, assist) was able to free himself just long enough to find the puck behind the Comets center and snap a quick shot between legs of UT-Dallas goalie Andres Correa (25 saves) to tie the game with just 1:15 remaining in the game. 

 

UT-Dallas got out to an early lead with two goals from Lee Clark (2 goals) in the first period.  Clark started the scoring 3:19 into the game when he put the puck through a lot of traffic and past Neumann goaltender Corey Cramer (25 saves).  Clark gave the Comets a two-goal cushion when he was able to corral the rebound of a shot from Sean Kyle and quickly put it underneath Correa.

 

With Andrew Kyle (goal, 2 PIM) in the box for high-sticking, Neumann took advantage of the man-advantage as Gary Todd one-timed a pass from Scotto into an open net to put Neumann on the board making the score 2-1 with 0:35 remaining in the first period.

 

The Knights carried the momentum into the second period getting the first four shots of the period and forcing UT-Dallas to pickup the pace leading to another power play opportunity.  With Jason Burger off for hooking, the Knights gained possession of the puck deep in the Comets zone passing the puck around and creating scoring chances.  After a quick flurry of shots from the Knights, Scotto was able to beat a UT-Dallas defender to a loose puck to the right of the Comets net, skating into the near corner Scotto threw the puck to the front of the net and got a deflection off of a defender?s stick neeting his second goal of the game and tying the game with 7:11 remaining in the second period.

 

UT-Dallas nearly retook the lead under a minute later when they rushed up the floor with a 2 on 1 advantage, but it was the Knights who took advantage of their own odd-man opportunity to take their first lead of the game under a minute after they tied it up.  Coming out of their own end after the Comets rush, Chris Bradley sprung Sean White off to the races on a 2 on 1.  Using his teammate as a decoy, White was able to beat Correa five-hole giving Neumann a 3-2 lead with 6:40 remaining. 

 

The Comets knotted the game all up with 3:58 remaining in the second period when Richard Wong found a teammate Jason Crown trailing the play moving the puck to Crown all alone in the high slot area and enabling Crown to tie the game with a wrist shot high glove side. 

 

Neumann out shot UT-Dallas 15-8 in the second period in the process scoring three goals and setting the game up for a tight third period. 

 

After failing to take advantage of a man-advantage mid-way through the period, the Comets regained the lead at the 7:31 mark when Bryan Do threw the puck on net getting an opportune deflection off of the heal of the goalies? stick and scoring just inside the left post. 

The Knights were again finding themselves determined to climb back from a deficit.  They picked up the pace of the game and peppered the UT-Dallas net with shots, but were unable to tie up the game until Scotto beat the goalie off a faceoff. 

 

Neumann plays their second game of the tournament early Friday morning at 1:00 AM when they face off against Vermont in a meeting of ECRHA foes.  UT-Dallas plays their next game at 2:15 PM Thursday afternoon against Washington-St. Louis.