Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Warriors split for ninth time this year

Wayne State defeated Robert Morris, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon, then fell in overtime on Sunday by a 4-3 mark. A sweep is still a rarity for WSU this season.

The split against Robert Morris gives WSU nine splits in 12 series this year. The three non-splits were a home sweep of Canisius, a win and a tie at Robert Morris in November, and a loss and tie in early January at Alabama-Huntsville.

In WSU's six-year history, Wayne State has compiled a 13-6-16 mark in overtime games. The Warriors last loss came by a 3-2 score at Niagara on Feb. 21, 2003.

Link to Saturday's game recap, courtesy of USCHO.com, is here.

Sunday, the Warriors rallied from one-goal deficits three times, including a goal with under three minutes left in the game from defenseman Dan Iliakis. Brett Hopfe, RMU's lone goal scorer Saturday, beat Will Hooper 38 seconds into overtime for the Colonials' first-ever College Hockey America victory.

Jason Baclig and John May also scored for WSU (12-10-2, 5-5-2 CHA). Hooper stopped 22 shots, though sophomore Kevin Bonikowski did see his first collegiate action, nearly two-and-a-half minutes, in the first period. Hooper was scheduled to start but had an equipment problem after the national anthem and was forced to the tunnel, giving Bonikowski his chance. Bonikowski did not face any shots in 2:25 of work.

Freshman Stavros Paskaris recorded five assists in the two games for the Warriors.

Wayne State travels to Nebraska-Omaha this weekend before visiting Bemidji State next weekend.

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