When it comes to rivalries, bragging rights sometimes trump the conventional wisdom. On Tuesday night at Schneider Arena, this happened as ECAC cellar-dweller Brown overcame cross-town rival Providence College on their own turf, 4-2.
Brown skated away with the Mayor's Cup and bragging rights until the two meet again next year.
The win gives the Bears a 5-8-1 record after 14 years of Mayor's Cup play. In all-time competition, Brown now leads 40-38-1.
The Friars opened up scoring on a power-play goal from Doug Sheppard at 10:59 of the opening session. The goal came on a tip-in from the point.
Brown's Matt Kohansky knotted it at 1-1 when he converted a Providence turnover into a goal at 14:56 of the first.
The key number of the second stanza was 42.
Forty-two seconds into the period Brown defenseman Josh Barker beat Friar goalie Boyd Ballard high to put the Bears on top 2-1. To put the other bookend on the period, Barker struck again, this time with 42 seconds remaining in the period on a power play.
In what proved to be the game winning goal, Barker's wrister from the top of the slot found the back of the net, making it 3-1.
Only 1:23 into the third, Sheppard scored his second power-play goal of the game. This cut Brown's lead to one goal, and forced them to earn their victory.
Tyler Garrow cemented the win for Brown with an empty net goal.
Brown goalie Scott Stirling made 30 saves in the win. Friar backstop Boyd Ballard made 22 stops in a losing effort.
The win improves Brown's overall record to 4-12, while Providence falls to 11-10-1 on the season.
