The University School boys’ hockey team tied Waukesha 3-3 in overtime in a Classic Eight Conference game played Tuesday at USM.

The Wildcats took a 2-0 lead on goals by seniors Levi Geisness and Tommy Ferrara, but they let the lead slip away as the Wings' freshman Trenton Tucker and junior Ian Malcolmson scored second period goals and Malcolmson tallied a goal early in the third period.  The Wildcats were able to struggle back and tie the score on another goal by Geisness late in the third period.  Trying to win the game in the eight-minute overtime, the Wildcats took 7 shots and the Wings took 6 shots, but none went in before the game ended.

USM scored the game’s first goal midway through the first period.  On a breakout pass in the USM zone, sophomore defenseman Will Kennedy sent the puck to freshman Andrew Malek on the sideboards.  Malek fired a cross-ice pass to junior Brandon McGill.  As McGill skated into center ice, he saw Geisness cutting toward the Wings’ blue line.  McGill feathered a pass to Geisness, sending him past the Waukesha defensemen.  Geisness moved in on a breakaway, deked Adam Spano, Waukesha’s senior goalie, and slid a backhander inside the net at 8:41.

The Wildcats went ahead 2-0 early in the second period.  USM junior Nick Epperson outraced a Waukesha defenseman for a loose puck in the left corner of the Waukesha zone.  Epperson got the puck, spun toward the net, backhanded a pass to Ferrara at the near point, and continued into the slot allowing Ferrara to shoot through a screen.  Ferrara obligingly lined a low shot inside the left goalpost at 5:28.

The Wings were undismayed.  They out shot the Wildcats 15-5 in the period and scored on two of those shots to tie the game.

Waukesha’s first goal came at 9:50 of the period.  On the play, Tucker took a pass from senior defenseman Conor Parker as Tucker cut across center ice.  Tucker continued into the USM zone down the right side.  Nearing the goal line he cut toward the net and gunned a quick off-angle shot.  The puck hit the pipe and caromed past Mac Schmidt, USM’s senior goaltender.

The Wings tied the game at two apiece while killing a penalty in the last minute of the second period.  In the Waukesha zone, Malcolmson stopped a pass and took off with the puck.  He sped past USM’s lone defenseman and headed into the USM zone on a breakaway.  Nearing Schmidt, he pulled the puck to his left, dropping the goalie. Mallcolmson then tucked a backhander into the net at 16:15.

Waukesha went ahead at 3:02 of the third period.  During a center ice regroup, Malcolmson received a cross ice pass from Parker.  The speedy forward skated down the right boards, cut behind the defense toward the net and jammed the puck past Schmidt.

USM was finally able to tie the game again late in regulation time.  On a breakout play, senior Jerzey Judge moved a D to D pass to Ferrara.  Ferrara passed it up the right boards to McGill who skated with it into center ice.  On a play similar to USM’s first score, McGill once again passed the puck past the defenseman, to Geisness for a breakaway.  This time Geisness faked left and went right for the deke and the ensuing goal at 13:59.

The scoring was over, but the action wasn’t.  Both Spano and Schmidt made spectacular glove saves late in the third period to preserve the tie.  Both teams provided the fans plenty of thrilling moments in the overtime, but Spano and Schmidt stopped all the shots fired in the overtime.

After the game, Jason Woods, USM’s head coach, commented, “I’m really proud of this tie.  I know that comes as a surprise to some, but you could tell our bodies and minds were exhausted.  To pull out a tie against a solid and very fresh team speaks volumes about our character.  We have played seven games in fifteen days; they don't ask guys playing in the pros to pull off that kind of stretch.  Add to that exams around the corner, and you quickly realize how much we have asked of this group.  We will be better for it when it matters most.”

The Wildcats will get a break as they take a 4-2-1 overall record and a 1-0-1 record in the Classic Eight Conference into semester exams.  When the season resumes, USM plays St. Mary’s Springs in a non-conference game scheduled at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 19th at USM.