Moran Lifts Navy Over Bucknell 8-7 in Overtime

from press release

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Patrick Moran scored 1:20 into overtime after RJ Wickham saved the day with a last-second save in regulation, lifting Navy to an 8-7 Patriot League win over No. 13 Bucknell and spoiling a three-goal day by Ryan Klipstein and yet another huge fourth quarter by the Bison. The loss dropped Bucknell to 2-2 on the season, with both losses coming in overtime to Duke and Navy, while the Midshipmen improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Patriot League.

For three periods the Bison just could not solve Wickham, who made 16 of his 18 saves in the first 45 minutes. But for the third straight game the Bison exploded in the fourth quarter. Two weeks ago they scored five times in the fourth in a win over Ohio State, and last Saturday they outscored Towson 6-0 in the fourth in a 13-9 victory. This time, Bucknell poured in five more goals in the final period to erase what had been a four-goal deficit.

Trailing 6-2 after three, Klipstein began the comeback with 13:20 remaining with an unassisted goal from the left wing. About five minutes later, Austin Winter beat a defender from behind the goal and bounced one under the crossbar. Navy was flagged for a late hit on Winter after the goal, and on the ensuing extra-man possession, Charlie Streep scored with a rocket shot from the left side.

Jake Clarke and the Bison won the next faceoff, but Wickham made a stop on Billy Eisenreich’s bounce shot, leading to a Ryan O’Leary goal at the other end that gave Navy a 7-5 lead with 6:48 to play.

Bucknell was not done, though. An interior pass failed to connect, but Mike Danylyshyn picked it up on the back side and scored to make it 7-6 with 5:16 to play.

Navy won the faceoff, and with 4:15 remaining defenseman Alex Lyons came up with a takeaway near the end line, but he stepped out of bounds. After Bucknell killed off a 30-second penalty, Jason Foreit stole the ball, giving his team possession with about two minutes to play. The Bison cleared, and with 1:25 left Klipstein tied the game at 7-7 with a hard shot from the left side.

Bucknell had a chance to win it after Jason Neithamer came up with the ground ball on the faceoff. Streep, who beat Navy with a buzzer-beater in Lewisburg last season, carried the ball from behind the goal in the final seconds. He negotiated some shooting space but the ball skipped wide. Winter grabbed the rebound behind the goal and fed it to Chris Palmer for a quick-stick attempt in front with a second to play, but Wickham made a remarkable diving stop to smother the ball as time expired.

Logan West won the critical overtime faceoff for Navy, and after the Midshipmen worked the ball around, Moran sent a shot past the right foot of Feeney to win the game.

On the final stat sheet, Bucknell had the better numbers in every category except saves. The Bison outshot Navy 34-27, won the ground balls 30-22 and the faceoffs 11-7. The Bison were 2-for-3 win an extra man and had 14 turnovers to Navy’s 19.

While Wickham stopped 18 shots for Navy, Bucknell freshman goalie Kyle Feeney was also solid. He made a season-high 12 stops, including nine in the first half when the two netminders combined for 20 saves.

Palmer and Tim Brandau had two assists apiece for the Bison. Clarke, who came into the game ranked No. 2 nationally in ground balls at 9.0 per game, went 11-for-17 on faceoffs and had six GBs.

Navy took a 1-0 lead 1:55 into the game on a Brendan Connors goal. Feeney made the initial save but the Bison could not clear, and Connors took advantage of the second chance.

After made a pair of point-blank saves, Bucknell finally changed the scoreboard with 44 seconds left in the opening quarter when Klipstein scored from a narrow angle to Wickham’s right. Freshman Billy Mattimore put the Bison up 2-1 with an extra-man goal from the right doorstep early in the second quarter.

Navy went ahead with consecutive goals from Lennon and Moran. The equalizer came just after Bucknell failed to clear when a cross-field pass was lost in the sun. Moran put the Midshipmen ahead with a low-to-low shot from the left win with 6:50 left in the first half.

Bucknell had a chance to draw even in the final minute of the half, but Wickham made a tough save on Klipstein from in close with 10 seconds left. Both goalies were stellar in the first half, with Wickham making 11 saves and Feeney 9.

Bucknell opened the second half with a four-minute possession, but Wickham turned aside four shots and two others skipped wide. Navy then turned the time of possession around and scored three straight goals. The first came from Alex Warner with a Bison in the penalty box for slashing.

Navy went up 5-2 when Connors gobbled up a loose ball in traffic just outside the crease with his back to the goal, then shoveled it backhanded past a surprised Feeney. Moran’s second goal of the day off a Lennon feed made it 6-2 with 1:07 left in the third quarter.

This was the fourth straight one-goal game between Bucknell and Navy and the sixth in 10 all-time meetings. Bucknell’s four-game road winning streak came to an end.