2-19-08
HOKIES CRUSH GMU, FALL TO GEORGETOWN IN OT

On the weekend of Friday January 8th the Virginia Tech Ice hockey team took its last road trip of the year and traveled to northern Virginia to play George Mason University and Georgetown. In their previous meetings with the two teams Tech defeated George Mason and Georgetown 4-1 and 5-2 respectively.

On Friday night the Hokies came out at a fast pace and it was evident early that George Mason would not be able to keep up. Tech dominated the entire game scoring 11 goals throughout while only giving up one. Leading the way for the Hokies were Jack Wydler with a hat-trick, Kevin Capodice found the net twice while Michael Sorenson, Jimmy Pope, Todd Minetree, Mike Brennan, Matt Harrison, and Rick Onorato all scored a goal of their own.

Coming off a strong victory from the night before, the Virginia Tech ice hockey team went into their game against Georgetown with a lot of confidence. The team's strong play from the previous night carried over early on as Tech took a 2-0 lead in the first period. Scoring for the Hokies were Mike Brennan and Rick Onorato. Shortly before the end of the period the Hoya's were able to score cutting Tech's lead to 2-1.

In the second period the Hokies continued their strong, physical game and kept Georgetown scoreless. The only scoring in the period came with a power play goal from sophomore Todd Minetree, that ended the second period with the Hokies up 3-1.

Early on in the third period, the Hoya's were able to find a goal that most likely would have shifted momentum in their favor. Not allowing that to happen, freshman forward Rick Onorato was able to get on a breakaway and beat the Georgetown goaltender putting the Hokies back up 4-2. As time dwindled down, Virginia Tech continued to lead by two despite the Hoya's offensive threats. With over two and a half minutes in the game left, Georgetown pulled their goalie, giving them an extra man on the ice hoping for a goal. The Hokies almost put the game out of reach multiple times by scoring on the empty net, but never found the goal they desired. With less than two minutes left, Georgetown crowded the crease of Tech goaltender Jon Allen and were able to find their third goal of the game, cutting Tech's lead to only one.

Hoping for the game tying goal, the Hoya's once again pulled their goaltender and once again were able to sustain pressure in the crease of Virginia Tech. With under a minute left in the game, Georgetown kept the pressure deep in Tech's zone and off of a broken play the puck took several bounces and was eventually stuffed home by the Hoya's, tying the game at four. The game ended regulation in a tie, so the two teams were forced to go to a 5 minute overtime. Virginia Tech came out flat in overtime, clearly discouraged from the finish in regulation and Georgetown were once again able to score with little time left in the overtime period for the 5-4 win.