BABSON PARK, Mass.— The No. 15 Babson College men's ice hockey team battled back from a two-goal deficit only to see Saint Michael's College repay the favor as the two teams battled to a 5-5 overtime tie in the season opener for both schools Saturday afternoon inside the Babson Skating Center.
With the outcome, both teams are off to a 0-0-1 start to the season. Saint Michael's prevailed in the shootout following the draw, scoring the only goal in the fourth round.
Fourteen different skaters tallied one point for the Beavers, including goals by senior
Jimmy Fallon (Milton, Mass) and four first-years,
Nico Pasquale (Chicago, Ill.),
Nolan Russell (Arlington, Mass.),
Declan Grenache (Sutton, Mass.), and
Hayden Hutner (Wesley Chapel, Fla.). Senior
Mason Rosado (Weddington, N.C.) finished with 29 saves in the Beaver goal, including 12 in the third period and four more in overtime.
Saint Michael's also got goals from five different players and points from 11. Senior Brayden Naumann (Boston, Mass.) and first-years Ty Gwatkin (Lyndonville, Vt.), Killiam Wright (Arlington, Mass.), Cam Fahey (Reading, Mass.) notched a goal and an assist each for the Purple Knights, and classmate Beckett Homnish (Cherry Hills Village, Colo.) scored once. Junior Evan Plunkett (Charlotte, N.C. ) made 35 saves, including double digits in the three periods of regulation.
The visitors got on the board less than two minutes after the opening face-off as Gwatkin poked in a loose puck amid a scrum in front of the Beaver goal at 1:59. St. Mike's doubled its lead at 13:54 of the opening frame when Fahey buried a rebound after Rosado stopped a shot from the right circle by Wright.
Babson cut the deficit to 2-1 two minutes into the second period when Pasquale collected a rebound of his own shot and beat Plunkett from the left circle for his first collegiate goal. The Purple Knights regained the two-goal lead four minutes later when Naumann was left alone in front and tucked a shot underneath Rosado at the 6:00 mark for a 3-1 advantage.
The Beavers staged a four-goal surge to take a two-goal lead of their own. Russell redirected a shot from the point by sophomore
Brian Grant (Mansfield, Mass.) past Plunkett at 14:47 of the second and Grenache tied the score 34 seconds later when he was sent in on a breakaway by sophomore
Luke Corrigan (Hudson, Mass.) and snapped a shot past Plunkett into the top left corner, sending the teams into the third period deadlocked at 3-3.
The Green and White took their first lead of the night just 1:38 into the third when Hutner poked in a rebound after a shot off a face-off by sophomore
Cam Umlah (Rye, N.H.), and Fallon gave the Beavers a two-goal margin less than two minutes later when he put in a rebound from the left circle at 3:14.
Saint Michael's pulled to within one goal at the 5:47 mark when Homlish snapped a wrist shot from the high slot inside the left post, and got the tying goal with just 2:16 remaining in regulation when Fahey threaded a pass through the crease and Wright beat Rosado from the left circle.
The visitors had a 4-1 advantage in shots in the five-minute overtime but neither team was able to capitalize, leaving the game tied at 5-5.
Babson finished with a 40-34 advantage in shots and neither team was able to score on the power play, the hosts in five opportunities and the visitors in four.
The Beavers will open Little East Conference play next Friday against Keene State at 7 p.m. at the Babson Skating Center while Saint Michael's visits Worcester State for a non-conference affair Friday at 2:30 p.m.
GAME NOTES
• Babson had won the last four meetings between the two schools and is now 25-3-2 all-time against the Purple Knights in a series that dates back to the 1998-99 season.
• The Beavers are 5-1-1 in their last seven season openers and 5-0-2 in their last seven home openers
• Babson is 10-2-3 at the Babson Skating Center since the beginning of last season.
• The Green and White suited up 15 first-years in Saturday's game, 13 skaters and two goalies.
