Well, I have now seen 15 seasons of Union College hockey and over that
time, there have been plenty of tough losses and disappointing ends to
seasons.  Saturday night's 3-2 loss to RPI at Achilles might have been
the toughest loss and the most disappointing end to a season.

After playing a scoreless first and trading goals in the second, Union
took a 2-1 lead on a Kris Goodjohn power play goal, and was 10 minutes
away from forcing a third game on Sunday night.  With 8:29 left, RPI
took a roughing penalty.  Just 18 seconds later the puck came out of
the offensive zone, and an RPI penalty killer was in behind the Union
defense.  Goaltender Kris Mayotte decided to come out to try to knock
the puck away.  He got there, but couldn't control the puck or knock
it out of the zone.  In the ensuing confusion, RPI's Ben Barr was able
to throw the puck at the net, eluding the two Union defenders who had
gone to the crease to cover for the badly out of position Mayotte.
2-2.  Amazingly, just under a minute later, on the same power play, it
happened again.  Mayotte came out to try to beat an RPI player to the
puck, again couldn't control, and again Barr threw it at the net, and
it went in.

After a Union timeout, the Dutchmen put on a good amount of pressure,
trying to get the tying goal past red-hot Nathan Marsters.  Marsters
finished with 29 saves, including 13 in the third period.  Union
thought they had the tying goal late in the game, with Mayotte on the
bench, but the whistle had blown before the puck crossed the line and
the goal was (correctly, I believe) waved off.

RPI, sweeping the series on the road after not winning a road game in
four months, moves on and will face Cornell in the quarterfinals.

Union finishes their season at 14-18-4, including a dissapointing 1-5
record down the stretch.

--
Jim Teresco - [log in to unmask]
http://www.teresco.org