Big Second Half Gives Butler 7-6 Win Over Bucknell

March 5, 2006

Box Score

Cliff Smith scored three goals, including the tying tally in the third quarter, to lead Butler to a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Bucknell on Saturday at Mt. Lebanon High School outside Pittsburgh. Butler stormed back from a 6-2 deficit at the half to post the win. Both teams now stand at 1-2.

Butler scored five goals in the second half, while holding the Bison scoreless. Kyle Harer started in goal for Butler and made five saves in the first half. Ryan Kaiser came on at the start of the second half and pitched the shutout the rest of the way while also finishing with five stops.

The game was tied at two-all when the Bison rattled off four straight goals from Nick Marks, Kirk Klett, John Togneri and Nick Lane. But the Bulldogs scored four times in the third period to even things up. Doug Mathias began the comeback with a tally four minutes into the half. Jeremy Sieverts and Brian Welch scored two minutes apart to make it 6-5, and Smith tied it off a Sieverts assist with 6:25 left in the third.

The two teams played nearly 17 scoreless minutes before Adam Wade scored the go-ahead goal with 4:39 remaining. Marks had a good look at a possible tying shot late in the game but had it deflected off a helmet.

Matt Baran finished with nine saves in the Bison goal. Marks and Joe Mele scored two goals apiece, while Lane, Togneri and Klett each had a goal and an assist.

The Bison outshot Butler 35-25, but the Bulldogs won 13of 17 faceoffs.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday (March 11) in the team's home opener, hosting Marist at the Butler Bowl at 3 p.m.