Call it a lost weekend for the Union College Skating Dutchmen.
Absolutely nothing went right on the North Country trip, as Union was
beaten 7-0 by SLU on Friday night, then 9-0 by Clarkson on Saturday.  I
don't have time to type in the box scores now, and I'm hoping the St.
Lawrence and Clarkson people can fill those in later. (Clarkson-Union
box has already been posted.)
 
I listened to most of Friday night's game on the radio.  Union was in
this one for the first period, even though they were outshot 15-5 in the
period.  Mike Gallant was having an excellent game.  He had let in just
one goal on a St. Lawrence power play, and the Dutchmen were ready to
head into the 1st period break down by just 1-0.  But with Union on the
power play and just a few seconds left in the period, SLU goalie Paul
Spagnoletti sent the puck up the ice, and it ended up on the stick of
Lee Albert.  Everyone, including the broadcasters, the Union defense,
and most importantly, goaltender Mike Gallant thought the period would
end before Albert could get a shot off.  But Albert got off a shot at
the blue line that beat Gallant to give SLU a 2-0 lead and all of the
momentum.  SLU went on to score 5 more times, as they put 47 shots on
Gallant.  Union also lost freshman left wing Chris Sears to a separated
shoulder.  Sears already missed several games earlier this season with a
broken hand.
 
I didn't listen to Saturday night's game at Clarkson, and after seeing
the score, I'm glad I didn't.  It looks like Union played pretty well
for the most part in the first 2 periods.  Clarkson scored twice in the
final 31 seconds of the first period to take a 3-0 lead, and only scored
once during the second.  Union actually outshot Clarkson 10-8 during the
second period.  But the third period was completely dominated by the Golden
Knights.  They outshot the Dutchmen 20-5 and outscored them 5-0.
 
This was easily the roughest weekend Union has had since joining the
ECAC last season.  These were the 4th and 5th times thay have been shut
out, a school record, and it marks the first time in the modern hockey
program at Union that the team has been shut out in consecutive games.
Union has not scored now in 6 1/2 periods.  They were 0-for-19 on the
power play this weekend, and have not scored on their last 21 power
plays.
 
The Dutchmen return to Achilles next weekend for their final 2 home
games of the season.  Union will host Colgate on Friday night and
Cornell on Saturday night.  Complimentary student and faculty tickets
are available today and Tuesday for both weekend games.
 
--
Jim Teresco, Union College C.S. Department Graduate Assistant
Dept. of Computer Science, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12038
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