AUBURN - In hockey, fights happen. It's just the nature of the game.

Unfortunately, one may have cost Auburn a win against Geneseo on Saturday. Just 33 seconds into overtime, the Lakers' James Morss engaged Matt Chadderdon in a confrontation behind the net and soon after, Andrew Chadderdon jumped in to defend his brother and then Taylor Hill entered the scrum, which quickly became ugly. All four players earned penalties for roughing misconduct and would not return to the game.

With their two leading scorers (18 goals combined) not on the ice, Auburn had to settle for a 3-3 tie in the non-league game.

“We always want to win the game and the kids are upset and I'd be upset if it didn't bother them,” Auburn coach Mike Lowe said. “Anytime you lose anyone it depletes your lineup and will have a difference in the game, but I'm not going to single anyone out.”

The Maroons (3-5-2) might have had their third straight win anyway, if it weren't for Taylor Hill scoring on a pass from Jeff Wester and Shaun Welch during a scramble in front of the net with 45.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the score for the Lakers. It was a rare goal scored on Maroons sophomore Tommy Trowell, who saved 22 of 25 shots on goal.

“Tommy played well again like he has all year,” Lowe said. “There were a couple of tough goals that were scored on him today that weren't his fault. He's not getting beat by goals that he can see, a couple were off deflections and redirections. Overall, he did a nice job in there.”

Auburn played a near perfect first period, with only one penalty and two goals scored. BJ Simmons, whose name is becoming synonymous with great defensive play, recorded his first goal of the season on a neutral zone shot off a pass from Scott Garrett with 2:54 left in the period.

“It was just one of those few chances that we get from up there,” Simmons said. “I just capitalized on it.”

Matt Chadderdon scored shortly afterwards on a pass from Kevin Festa with 2:13left to give the Maroons a 2-0 advantage heading into the second period. Auburn drew a power play to end the first and begin the second period, but couldn't capitalize.

That was a trend for both teams, who couldn't score and didn't get off many shots on a combined nine power plays in the game.

The Lakers were finally able to penetrate the Maroons defense in the second period and Tyler Russell capitalized on a pass from Steve Beaudet with 13:09 remaining to cut Auburn's lead in half. Ten minutes later, Matt Chadderdon scored again for his fifth multiple scoring game this season on a pass from Andrew Chadderdon. Less than a minute after that, Matt drew his first penalty of the game, for interference.

With 10:23 left in the third period, Adam Simpson scored for the Lakers on a combined assist from Morss and Hill.

The Maroons defense had some rough moments in the final two periods in regulation, but their best one came in the third.

After Kevin Festa was called for hooking and Andrew Chadderdon for roughing, Geneseo had the perfect opportunity to score on the 5-on-3 power play, but Sean Hogan, JT Foltz and Chris Clifford wouldn't hear of it, allowing just two shots in the 1:30.

“They have been doing a great job all year,” Lowe said. “They didn't give up a score on any power plays this time out. They know who they are, they know their role and they work at it and they take pride in not giving up on any goals and that's a positive.”

Simmons said that the Maroons “definitely” had a better shot of winning another game with the Chadderdon brothers on the ice in overtime, but since it won't show up as a negative on their record, the team will take it.

Auburn prepares for another unfamiliar opponent in Frontier in the SUNY Brockport Tournament Wednesday.

“We probably should have won this game,” Simmons said. “But it's not a loss and it's not a league game. It counts for giving us confidence and momentum. We could have gotten back in it, but we'll take what we can get.”