With 8 forwards, hockey team runs out of energy at Villanova

Injuries limited the Owls to eight forwards on Saturday against Villanova.

Temple kept pace, entering the third period in a tie game. But Villanova scored twice in the final 20 minutes to beat Temple, 5-4, at Hatfield Ice Arena in Colmar, Pennsylvania.

“The boys played hard and they battled back, but when you play with eight forwards it’s tough in college hockey,” coach Mark Spease said. “We just ran out of gas.”

Senior forward Joey Powell had two goals, including the game’s first tally. Freshman forward Brendan Ondick and senior defenseman Ryan Dumbach scored to tie the game in the second period after Villanova closed the first on a 3-0 run.

The Owls had only nine shots in the first period and got outshot 46-27. Villanova outshot Temple by more than 20 attempts in its 3-2 win on Friday at the Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philadelphia. The Owls have now lost four games in a row.

Late in the third period, Dumbach received a checking from behind penalty and was subsequently ejected. Earlier in the period, Dumbach received an interference penalty when he hip-checked a Villanova player in the Owls’ defensive zone.

Spease said Dumbach’s only option to play the puck on the play when he was ejected was to hit from behind.

Junior forward Jack Pearce and Villanova freshman forward Joey Duffy were also ejected after a post-whistle scrum.

“Given our numbers and the fact that we only ran eight forwards for most of the game, I’m proud of our boys even though I’m not happy with the two losses,” Spease said. “But we will move on, get guys healthy.”