DEARBORN, Mich.--Graduate student
Thimo Ey scored his second goal of the game with 1 minute and 44 seconds left in overtime to lift visiting Lawrence Tech to a thrilling 5-4 victory over rival Michigan-Dearborn in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference men's hockey action at the UMD Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils end their regular season with a 19-11 overall record and 17-7 in the WHAC, while the Wolverines are also 19-11 and 15-9 in the conference.
With its first-ever four-game season series sweep over the Wolverines, LTU clinches the second seed in the upcoming WHAC Tournament to be held here on the UM-Dearborn campus.
Ey scored his game-winning goal after collecting the puck in his defensive zone where freshman defenseman
Johan Palmqvist finished his check along the dasher boards. Ey then skated coast-to-coast, deked two UM-Dearborn defenders, and went backhand-forehand to beat the goalie from close in.
The Wolverines overcame a 4-2 deficit to force the extra 5-minute session. Declan Flanagan scored at the 17:13 mark in the second period and Jake Emery tied it at 4:06 of the third.
UM-Dearborn held a commanding 57-28 shots advantage, won 61 of 84 face-offs and went 2-for-5 on the power play. But LTU sophomore goalie
Brett Tome (18-9-1) was the great equalizer by making 53 saves, including making 20 of 21 stops in the first period. And the Blue Devils defense produced 15 blocked shots, led by senior
Garrett Sample who had four to match the Wolverines as a team.
The teams combined for five goals in a chaotic second period when LTU emerged with a 4-3 lead. Fifth-year senior
Patrick McGowan gave LTU a 2-1 lead at 1:10 before Quest Bigelow equaled just 1:31 later. Sophomore
Justin Hubenschmidt restored the Blue Devils' lead to 3-2 at 3:11 and Ey potted his first goal on the power play to double the advantage, 4-2, at 9:10.
Palmqvist finished with three assists, and graduated student
Sean Pilet and sophomore
Drake Barnish both had two assists for LTU. For UMD, Flanagan added an assist for a two-point night and Blake Petterle and Joey Cullinan chipped in two assists apiece.
Lawrence Tech will play seventh-seeded Rochester University in the WHAC Quarterfinals on Friday (start time to be determined) at the UMD Fieldhouse. Ticket information will be forthcoming.
