SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Randy Guzior scored in the third period with assists from Joe Vitale and Tyler McNeely to lift the Huskies to a 1-1 tie with Union College on Saturday night at Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y. Huskies goalie Brad Thiessen made 26 saves in net.
With the tie, Northeastern is 7-4-2 and remains 6-3-1 in Hockey East play. Union is 3-7-3 overall and remains 1-3-2 in ECAC play. The Huskies extended their unbeaten streak to eight games (6-0-2), which is the team's longest since an identical 6-0-2 unbeaten streak from Nov. 22-Dec. 28, 1997. The last time NU had a longer unbeaten streak was a 12-game winning streak from Nov. 25, 1980-Jan. 20, 1981. Northeastern remains on top of the Hockey East standings with its 6-3-1 league record.
The Huskies were down, 1-0, entering the third period but Guzior's goal tied it at 2:41. Joe Vitale shot the puck on net and Guzior put it in the net with a crowd in front of the net. Tyler McNeely also had an assist on the play.
Union had a five-on-three for 1:41 when Jimmy Russo was called for hooking at 9:02 and Vitale was called for contact to the head-roughing at 9:22 in the third period. The Huskies penalty kill was solid and Thiessen made several great saves took keep the game tied at 1-1.
Vitale had a great chance to tie the game with a look at the open net just after the 14-minute mark in the third period but his stick broke on his attempted one-timer. The Huskies got a power play at 16:29 when Micheael Beynon was called for charging for a hit on Guzior. That was neutralized 19 seconds later when Drew Muench was called for charging.
With 43.6 seconds remaining in regulation, Northeastern appeared to score the game-winner but it was ruled no goal because the net was off its moorings. Union's Jason Walters was whistled for clipping at 19:31 in the third period and the game went into overtime, giving the Huskies a power play for the first 1:31 of overtime. Northeastern outshot Union, 3-1, in overtime but couldn't put the puck in the net and it ended in a tie.
Union got out to a 1-0 lead after the first period. Adam Presizniuk passed the puck from the right circle to Mario Valery-Trabucco, who was open in the slot. Valery-Trabucco redirected it past Thiessen on his stick side for the score at 7:49.
The first period opened with a five-minute major for hitting from behind and a game-misconduct on Union's Brock Matheson for a hit on NU's Kyle Kraemer. The Huskies didn't generate much offense on the opportunity, with the best chance coming when McNeely made a pass to Vitale down low, but Vitale couldn't get his stick on it. Thiessen made eight saves in the first period, including a spectacular save on a point-blank shot by Valery-Trabucco at 16:00.
The second period went scoreless with shots tied at 9-9. Union's Andrew Boute took a penalty for charging at 9:43 but the Huskies didn't get a shot on goal on the power-play. Union had a power play at 13:06 and the Huskies neutralized the attack. Northeastern's best opportunities of the period came in a four-on-four situation from 16:41-18:41. Both Vitale and Greg Costa had shots go just wide of the post.
Northeastern is off until it plays in the Badger Hockey Showdown Dec. 28-29 in Madison, Wisc. The Huskies face Bowling Green in the first round on Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. and take on either Wisconsin or Colgate the next day.