Bulldogs Fall to Union 3-0

Feb. 23, 2007

Schenectady, N.Y. - Goaltender Justin Mrazek recorded a shutout by stopping all 29 shots he faced as the Yale men's ice hockey team fell to Union 3-0 at the Achilles Center in Schenectady, N.Y. The two teams had gone to overtime in their last three meetings, including the five-overtime playoff contest last March that became the longest hockey game in NCAA history. However, no extra session was needed as the Bulldogs went scoreless for the first time this season.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs clinched a share of the Ivy League title when Dartmouth defeated Cornell 5-1. Both Yale and Dartmouth finished with a 6-3-1 record within the Ancient Eight and will thus split the title. But Cornell (5-3-1 Ivy) plays its final Ivy contest against Harvard tomorrow night in Cambridge and if the Big Red defeat the Crimson, they too will grab a share of the title.

Still, the Bulldogs, who outshot the Dutchmen 29-23, lost their chance to play at home in the first round of the ECACHL playoffs due to tonight's loss and Rensselaer's 6-5 victory over Brown. Even with a win against the Engineers tomorrow night, Yale cannot finish high enough to secure home ice.

Yale (10-15-3, 7-13-1, ECACHL) started out the game strong and outshot Union 11-8 in the first period, including a number of close scoring chances. However, the period ended with the Dutchmen up 1-0.

Union (14-16-3, 7-13-1 ECACHL) got on the board first with 1:33 left in the opening frame when Sam Bowles stole the puck off the boards on a failed Yale clear. Bowles sent the puck to Chris Potts, who took a couple strides before firing a pass across the crease where Matt Cook (12th) was waiting on the doorstep to bat in the game's first score.

The second session was relatively quiet until the Bulldogs gave up another goal late in a period. Union made it 2-0 with only 14.3 seconds left in the frame when the Bulldogs were again sloppy on a transition. Lane Caffaro grabbed a loose puck and sent a quick pass to Chris Potts (5th) who was able to beat Alec Richards for his second point of the night.

Union scored its final goal 14:12 into the third period when Mario Valery-Trabucco slid the puck past Tom Dignard to Olivier Bouchard (11th). The senior forward controlled the pass and wristed a shot along the ice and underneath Richards who was coming across the crease.

The Bulldogs came up with several high quality chances in the closing minutes but still could not solve Mrazek.

Yale travels to Rensselaer tomorrow night for its last game of the regular season.

Report filed by Alex Kleiner '08, Yale Sports Publicity