Recap from Williams
4-4 Bowdoin @ Williams
A slow Canadian driver who I just had to follow almost all the way from Troy to Williamstown made me 4 minutes late. Late enough to miss Bowdoin's first goal. But Bowdoin kept the pace of the game until they gave Williams a power play. On the power play, Williams made some key plays in keeping the puck in the zone, even with the pressure put on by Bowdoin. Williams was able to score and tie the game up at 1. Bowdoin kept up the pressure and threw a puck in front which probably went off a Williams defender and went in.
A lively shift by Williams 9 minutes in seemed to be turning the tide until they took a holding penalty. Bowdoin made it 3-1 on a slap shot from the top of the circle to the left of the goalie.
Williams had a 5-3 opportunity for 20 seconds until they received a gift from Bowdoin. As the first penalty expired, a Bowdoin player came off of the bench and on to the ice which gave Williams a long 5-3. Williams wasted no time (ok 7 seconds) in making the score 3-2
Side note. I noticed the refs came on to the ice with 2:24 left in the intermission. Every other game I've seen this year, D3 and D1, the refs wait until 2 mins.
A bad Bowdoin turnover helped Williams tie the score. A Bowdoin player skated from behind the net, to in front of the net and lost the puck, A Williams player who was going behind the net saw the puck, gained control of the puck and wristed the game tieing goal.
Williams started gaining the momentum. They didn't entirely take over the game, but they gained a slight edge until they took a penalty. Willams was easily killing the penalty until a Bowdoin player rushed in to the zone on his own and was able to get out front and put the puck in the net to take the lead again.
The period ended with a highlight reel goal. Ben Contini came in 2 on 1 and did a spinorama and passed the puck to the other player after doing the 180. The other player was able to control the puck and put a backhander behind the goalie to again tie up the game.
To start the third, Contini had another breakaway, but was not able to put the backhand shot away. Both teams had their chances, including a quality chance for each team on separate defensive mistakes. Williams had a golden opportunity wtih 5:30 minutes left, but the pile in front of the Bowdoin net was too much to get the puck into the net.
Bowdoin got a power play with 1:28 left in the game, but was not able to capitalize, a last second important defensive stop by #23 on Williams allowed the game to go into overtime.
In overtime, Williams was able to handily kill the remaining penalty and had a few quality chances, but the game ended in a 4-4 tie.