NORTHEASTERN AND PROVIDENCE SKATE TO 3-3 TIE
Kyle Laughlin scored tying goal for PC; Brad Thiessen makes 45 saves for NU

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence College men’s hockey team rallied from a 3-0 third period deficit to tie Northeastern, 3-3, Saturday night in a Hockey East battle at Schneider Arena. Sophomore Kyle Laughlin (Gambrills, Md.) capped off the comeback for the Friars as he scored with 4:25 remaining in the third period.

Trailing 3-0 after two periods, the Friars began their comeback at the 2:17 mark of the third period when sophomore defenseman Cody Wild (North Providence, R.I.) scored from in close off a pass from senior Chase Watson (Media, Pa.). At 12:02, PC cut the lead to 3-2 when senior Bryan Horan (Farmington, Conn.) connected on his third goal this season. Laughlin, who had just emerged out of the penalty box, stole the puck off the right wing boards and slipped a pass to the slot to Horan who fired a one timer past NU freshman goalie Brad Thiessen. Just over three minutes later, Laughlin pounced on a rebound in front and scored his second goal of the season to tie the game. Watson and freshman Mark Fayne (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) assisted on the goal.

The Huskies led 1-0 after the first period on a power-play goal by senior Steve Birnstill. Birnstill fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line that eluded PC goalie Tyler Sims (Grand Blanc, Mich.) who was screened in front. In the second period, the Friars were on a five minute power play that overlapped from the first period, but for the second consecutive night the Huskies’ Bryan Esner scored a short-handed goal. Esner stole a pass at the neutral zone and skated in on a breakaway before slipping the puck past Sims at 3:18. Sophomore Ryan Ginand made the score 3-0 with his fifth goal of the season as Esner and junior Jimmy Russo assisted on the goal at 16:33.

However, the third period was a different story. The Friars, who had been stymied by Thiessen for over 100 minutes dating back to last night’s 3-0 loss at Matthews Arena, scored three times to force overtime. PC peppered Thiessen with 22 shots in the third period and held the Huskies to just two attempts on goal. Thiessen finished with 45 saves, while Sims finished with 14 stops in two periods of action. Sophomore Chris Mannix (Hubbartston, Mass.), who was making his second consecutive appearance, stopped three shots in 25 minutes of action. In all, the Friars outshot the Huskies, 48-20. The 48 shots was a season high.