SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Freshman David Nies (Windham, N.H.) scored a power-play goal with 5:24 to play to give the University of Southern Maine a 3-3, overtime tie with Skidmore College Saturday in an ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Men's East game at the Saratoga City Rink.
The tie leaves the Huskies with an overall record of 8-10-3 and a 5-7-3 mark in league play. The Thoroughbreds are on 7-12-2 overall and 6-7-2 in league play.
Skidmore grabbed a 3-2 lead midway through the final period when senior Matt Czerkowicz (Blackstone, Mass.) lit the lamp for the seventh time this season off an assist from classmate Tim Daley (Wilton, Mass.). Four minutes later, Nies found the net for the third time assisted by freshman Ryan Boucher (Lewiston, Maine) and senior Pat Noonan (Burlington, Mass.).
Southern Maine had a golden opportunity to win the game in regulation gaining a 5-on-3 power play, but Skidmore was able to kill off the penalties to preserve the tie.
The Thoroughbreds took an early 1-0 lead when rookie Brendan Cottam (Belmont, Mass.) scored at 2:10. Sophomore Dan Rautenberg (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) tied the score eight minutes later on an assist from Noonan. Cottam set up rookie Julian Malakorn (Warwick, R.I.) for a power-play goal in the final minute of the period to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Rautenberg potted his second goal of the game, and ninth of the season, at 18:18 of the middle period to tie the game. Juniors Paul Conter (Woodbridge, Ontario) and Zach Joy (Dover, N.H.) picked up the assists.
Sophomore Mason St. Hilaire (Saco, Maine) started in goal for USM and made 12 saves in the first period. Rookie Tim Gerrish (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) took over in the second period going the rest of the way registering 19 saves. Sophomore Colin Bessey (Montclair, N.J.) went the distance for Skidmore making 24 saves.
Southern Maine returns home next weekend to host Connecticut College on Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Tufts University on Saturday (4:00 p.m.).
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