Curran Nets Hat Trick As Part Of Career-High Five Point Performance, O'Brien Adds Four Assists As Ice Hockey Advances In Northeast-10 Championships With 7-3 Quarterfinal Round Victory Over Assumption
February 24, 2006
STONEHILL ICE HOCKEY
2006 Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinals
Friday, February 24, 2006
Bridgewater Ice Arena, Bridgewater, Mass.
FINAL:STONEHILL 7, ASSUMPTION 3
123Total
Assumption (5-19-1)003- 3
Stonehill (14-9)034- 7
SCORING SUMMARY
STO:Jack McGroarty (Matt Curran, Brendan O'Brien) SHG14:59 2nd
STO:Curran (Brian Dudley, Craig Pasquantonio)17:40 2nd
STO:Brian Lewis (O'Brien, Curran)18:50 2nd
ASM:Bobby Fanciullo (Jeff Ilvonen, Brian Blanchette)1:01 3rd
ASM:Luke McDonough (Mike Rust)1:42 3rd
ASM:Ilvonen (Fanciullo)2:46 3rd
STO:Billy Sylvia (Ryan Watson)4:42 3rd
STO:Curran (O'Brien, Dudley)7:58 3rd
STO:Curran (O'Brien, McGroarty) ENG19:02 3rd
STO:Chris Snyder (Unassisted) ENG19:24 3rd
GOALIE SAVES
ASM:David Pinkham-24
STO:Josh Green-32
BRIDGEWATER, Mass.-- Sophomore Matt Curran (Scarborough, Maine) netted his first collegiate hat trick and added a pair of assists for a career-high five points to lead third-seeded Stonehill to a 7-3 victory over sixth-seeded Assumption in quarterfinal round play of the 2006 Northeast-10 Conference Ice Hockey Championships Friday evening at the Bridgewater Ice Arena.
The host Skyhawks (14-9) advance to face second-seeded Saint Anselm in semi-final round play of the Northeast-10 Championships on Wednesday evening at Sullivan Arena in Manchester, N.H. beginning at 7:00 p.m.
After nearly 35 minutes of scoreless play, Stonehill used a shorthanded goal off the stick of senior Jack McGroarty (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) to take a 1-0 lead with 5:01 to play in the second period, and tallies by Curran and senior Brian Lewis (Cohasset, Mass.) that came 1:10 apart late in the stanza lifted the Skyhawks to a 3-0 cushion after two. The visiting Ice Dogs (5-19-1) quickly evened matters in the first 2:46 of the final periods, receiving goals from senior Bobby Fanciullo (Medford, Mass.) and sophomore Luke McDonough (Norfolk, Mass.) in a 41 second stretch to close to within one before senior Jeff Ilvonen (Auburn, Mass.) evened matters for the visitors just 1:04 later. Senior Billy Sylvia (Acushnet, Mass.) gave Stonehill the lead for good at the 4:42 mark with what proved to be the game-winner, and Curran's second marker of the night just 3:16 later staked the Skyhawks to a 5-3 cushion. Curran completed his hat trick with an empty-netter with 58 seconds remaining, and freshman Chris Snyder's (Foxboro, Mass.) first collegiate tally, a second empty-netter with 36 seconds left, accounted for the final score.
Freshman Brendan O'Brien (Braintree, Mass.) tied his career-high and the school single-game assist record with four helpers in the win for Stonehill, which also received a pair of assists from senior Brian Dudley (Waltham, Mass.) as well as single helpers off the sticks of seniors Craig Pasquantonio (Randolph, Mass.) and Ryan Watson (Brookline, Mass.). Fanciullo and Ilvonen each netted a goal and an assist in the setback for Assumption, which also received single assists off the sticks of senior Brian Blanchette (Woonsocket, R.I.) and sophomore Mike Rust (Swanzey, N.H.).
Junior Josh Green (Mendon, Mass.) picked up his 10th win of the season in goal for Stonehill with a 32-save effort, while freshman David Pinkham (Malden, Mass.) made 24 stops in net for Assumption as the Ice Dogs outshot the Skyhawks by a 35-29 margin for the contest.
The win enabled Stonehill to tie the school single-season record for victories, as the Skyhawks claimed their 14th triumph of the year to match the mark first set during the 1989-90 campaign and tied by the 2001-2002 squad.
Stonehill and Saint Anselm will meet for the second time in eight days in Wednesday's semi-final round contest, as the Hawks overcame a 4-0 Skyhawk second period lead with five tallies over the final 15-plus minutes of the middle stanza to record a 5-4 victory Tuesday evening at the Bridgewater Ice Arena.