Falcons Complete Comeback Over Marian in Overtime

MEQUON, Wis. – Saturday night saw the Falcons improve to 8-14-0 on the season and 6-9-0 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) play following a 6-5 overtime win against the Marian Sabres. 

The Falcons struck first, scoring the shorthanded goal with 8:18 left in the first period, as freshman Logan Kroyman (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) recovered the puck after a faceoff on CUW's defensive third. Kroyman then sailed a pass over the hands of the outstretched Marian defender's arm to find the open freshman Mi-Kwan Tallman (Edmonton, Alta.) near Marian's blue line.

With the puck at his stick, no one near, and quickly approaching the goal, Tallman snuck the puck past the goaltender to give CUW the 1-0 lead. 

Minutes later, CUW added to their lead as they capitalized on the powerplay. Sharp passing, starting with sophomore Derek Humphreys (Spokane, Wash.) and then to freshman Alex Ochitwa (Prince George, B.C.), led to the Logan Kroyman goal as he ripped the one-timer off the Ochitwa pass to give the Falcons a 2-0 advantage. 

But the Sabres would find the back of the net before the end of the first period to cut CUW's lead to 2-1 heading into the first intermission.

Out of the break, Marian would score four unanswered in the second period to take the 5-2 lead with one period remaining. 

Determined to make a comeback, the Falcons scored the opening goal of the third period, as Derek Humphreys intercepted a Marian pass, leading to the 2-0 break with him and Mi-Kwan Tallman. As the duo reached the Sabres' goaltender, Humphreys dropped off the puck to Tallman, who put a stick on the puck to chip into Marian's lead, 5-3, with 13:48 left in the contest.

Then, with 9:45 left, junior Seth Bergeron (Minneapolis, Minn.) found the back of the net, as his shot, on a pass from sophomore Grant Newcomer (McFarland, Wis.), took an award bounce and skipped its way past the Marian goaltender to cut Marian's lead to just one, 5-4.  

Riding their momentum, the Falcons scored their third straight goal less than five minutes later, as sophomore Mason Ausmus (Saline, Mich.), carried the puck down to the CUW's offensive zone and found Alex Ochitwa, who would fire the tight-angled shot past the shoulders of the Marian goalie to level the score at 5-5.

Ultimately, regulation would not produce a winner as the score remained 5-5, forcing overtime.

In overtime, the Falcons completed their comeback as sophomore Collin Kerchoff (White Lake, Mich.) made a move to beat the Marian goaltender, clinching the win for CUW, off assists from Mi-Kwan Tallman and Grant Newcomer. 

In the effort, Mi-Kwan Tallman recorded his first career multiple-goal game, finishing with two. 

Meanwhile, sophomore Gabe Rosek (East Lansing, Mich.) recorded 27 saves. 

The Falcons will return to the ice tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., where they will seek to sweep the Sabres of Marian.