Barrow's Blast Lifts Wilkes Men's Ice Hockey to UCHC Championship Series
WILKES-BARRE – Tyler Barrow's one-time blast at 2:56 of the first overtime in the tie-breaking mini-game lifted the Wilkes University men's ice hockey team to the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) Championship series, defeating Stevenson University 1-0 at the Toyota SportsPlex on Saturday evening.
The Colonels took the series two games to one after falling in game two 3-2 prior to the deciding mini-game.
Barrow's one-timer came off a face-off win in the offensive zone by Devon Schell, who was credited with the lone assist on Barrow's game-winner. The shot rang off the far post past goaltender Ryan Kenny's blocker.
Due to the UCHC using a two-game series in the playoffs, the series tie after two games forced the mini-game, which is a single 20 minute period. The two teams were tied following the full period, forcing sudden-death 20 minute overtime periods, similar to the playoff overtime format in the NHL.
Until Barrow's clincher, Michael Paterson-Jones was the story of the mini-game, making several exceptional point-blank saves to keep Wilkes alive.
In the regulation game two, Tyson Araujo opened the scoring at 3:03 of the second with assists from Ryan Solomon and Michael Gurska.
Stevenson wasted no time tying the score, finding the back of the net at 3:34 of the second.
Donald Flynn gave the Colonels another lead at 4:25 of the second with helpers from Barrow and Araujo.
The Mustangs tied the score at 12:44 of the second. After Flynn was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for contact to the head, Stevenson took the lead for good with three seconds remaining in the ensuing power-play, scoring at 17:58 of the second.
Paterson-Jones stopped 28 of 31 shots in the regulation game and all 16 shots he faced in the mini-game. Kenny made 31 saves on 33 shots in the regulation game and denied 17-of-18 mini-game shots.
The Colonels now advance to face the winner of the other UCHC semifinal matchup between No. 1 Utica and No. 5 Nazareth. Utica took game one of the series 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. Game one of the championship series is scheduled for Friday, March 6th at a to-be-determined time.