Xavier’s Pat Riedy skated down the right side of the rink, handling the puck on a 2-on-1 early in the overtime period. Riedy cut to the net and ripped a shot over Marquette club hockey goalie Nick Foley’s left shoulder. Riedy’s goal gave Xavier a 4-3 victory against the Golden Eagles, completing a weekend sweep.
Even though the game was over, the drama didn’t end. Riedy went into a two-kneed slide, which ended with his teammates celebrating the victory just feet away from the Marquette bench. Senior captain Ryan Zanon hopped over the boards and started showing for displeasure with the Xavier team. The referees quickly broke up the resulting scuffle and handed out an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Riedy, but the damage was already done.
Zanon said he was not pleased with the actions of the Xavier player, but does know he may have crossed the line.
“As a captain, that’s totally immature for me to do what I did,” Zanon said. “However, things were going our way all game and to have that lack of respect for another team and to come and slide in front of the bench, that was the last straw.”
Marquette fought to see the overtime period. Xavier led the majority of the third period and Marquette was desperate for a goal. With less than four minutes in the game, junior Matt Vuoncino picked up the puck on the left point and ripped a slapper. His shot was tipped in front by senior Austin Carlson, ricocheted off the post and into the back of the net with four seconds left on the power play.
Zanon said the two goals were big momentum builders for the team, but it couldn’t get the final goal to get the win.
“We’ve been having trouble this year putting in goals at the right time and getting a couple of goals from a couple of big, energetic players on the team really got the guys excited and moving,” Zanon said. “Every time we do something like that, put in a really big goal into the net, it brings us closer and closer.”
But even with the goal, Marquette couldn’t just sit back. The Golden Eagles managed to hold off the Xavier attack and force overtime, where the Musketeers eventually won.
Zanon said the overtime was a make-or-break moment for the club, and unfortunately, they couldn’t get it done.
“We came in, we looked at each other, and the season was on the line,” Zanon said. “Unfortunately, the puck didn’t go in the net for us, but the guys were willing to get into that extra gear and win the game for us.”
Friday night’s series opener was more offensively inclined than the series finale, but the result was the same. Xavier scored four goals in the first period, two of which came less than a minute after a Marquette goal. Brendan Natwora and Carlson both scored for Marquette, but the Golden Eagles couldn’t keep up with the Musketeers in the first.
Marquette outscored Xavier in the second period 2-1 on goals from senior Sam Nader and freshman Will Podewils, and evened things up early in the third off a wrister from Mitch Ellena in the slot. But when Riedy scored the go-ahead for Xavier on a 4-on-3, the Musketeers killed Marquette’s momentum. The Golden Eagles couldn’t capitalize on a late power play, and the Musketeers won 6-5 in regulation. It was the first time Marquette was swept since facing Arkansas in October.
With just four games left, Zanon thinks that if the team wins both games on the upcoming road trip, it could still qualify for regionals.
“One last road trip could save the season,” Zanon said. “We’re playing Robert Morris – White, who is ranked fifth in the Pacific region … If we win a couple of big games next weekend, I don’t know why we wouldn’t hold onto our nine spot and head to regionals.”
Marquette makes its last road trip of the season when it heads to Chicago to face off against Robert Morris – White. Both weekend games are slated for an 8 p.m. puck drop.
