D3 Black Falls to Indiana Tech in Home Opener

The D3 Black Squad took on the Indiana Tech Warriors on Thursday, October 6th at Arrington Ice Arena to kick off the 2016-17 regular season.

The Bulldogs grabbed the first lead of the game late in the first period off of a Robert Bathory goal as the first goal of the season. Devon Herzig grabbed the lone assist on Bathory’s tally. The Bulldogs would go on the penalty kill with less than three minutes remaining in the first period when the Bulldogs were sent to the penalty kill on an iffy call on freshman Ricky Mischak. The Warriors would tie the game up before the penalty’s expiration and the two teams would head back to the locker room with a deadlocked game.

Bathory would break the tie with 6:22 done in the second period of action while on the powerplay. Bathory’s second goal was assisted by freshman Kevin Philbin and sophomore Tim Foley. Freshman Ryan Ratliff would send home his first goal as a Bulldog to give the home team a two goal advantage. The Bulldogs would keep that two goal lead and head into the third period ahead 3-1.

After a penalty ridden first half of the third period that featured an all-out fight all in the first ten minutes, the Warriors would tie the game then pull ahead by a goal with fewer than four minutes remaining in the game. It was sophomore James Smith that would be the hero, tying the game up at 4 a piece with only 1:33 left in regulation. Smith’s tying goal would be assisted by sophomore Eric Blevins and junior Mitch Kusch.

Despite their efforts to send the game to overtime, the Bulldogs would fall to Indiana Tech in overtime with the Warriors winning the game with 1:55 remaining in the extra frame.

The Bulldogs are back in action at Arrington once again on Friday, October 14th when they face Indiana University Purdue at 7:00 pm.