Second Period Surge Sends Stonehill Past SUNY Canton, 6-2


Sophomore Richard Harris tallied two goals and an assist to lead Stonehill past SUNY Canton tonight, 6-2.

Skyhawks score season-high five times in middle period

CANTON, N.Y. (November 19, 2013) – The Stonehill College ice hockey team exploded for five goals in the second period en route to a 6-2 victory over SUNY Canton tonight in non-conference action at the Roos House.

Sophomore forward Richard Harris (Grand Island, N.Y./Valley Jr. Warriors) led Stonehill's offensive outburst with three points (two goals and an assist), all of which came in the middle period. Senior captain Bryan Rooney (Canton, Mass./New Hampton School) added two points on a goal and an assist, as did fellow captain Bill Carey (Weymouth, Mass./South Shore Kings).

Junior forward Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Mass./Walpole Express) and sophomore forward Thomas Depoalo (Mendham, N.J./Morristown Beard School) also found the back of the net in Stonehill's second straight win, and juniors Brendan Greene (Weymouth, Mass./Boston Advantage) and Stephen Balsamo (Atkinson, N.H./Brewster Academy) tallied two assists apiece.

Junior netminder Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Mass./Thayer Academy) stopped 24 of the 26 shots that he saw, as the Northeast-10 Goaltender of the Week earned his second win in three starts this season.

After a scoreless opening period, Stonehill found its groove 7:54 into the second, as Rooney scored his team-high matching fourth goal of the season with the help of an assist from sophomore defenseman Travis Army (Englewood, Colo./Worcester Academy). Stonehill doubled its lead on Aufiero's tally just under three minutes later, then went up 3-0 on Harris' first of the night at the 11:53 mark of the second.

Carey added his first of goal of the season with five minutes left in the period on assists from Harris and Greene, and Harris then wrapped up the second period power surge with his second goal of the night with just nine seconds left before the second intermission.

Canton finally broke through midway through the third on goals by senior defenseman Cory Giczewski (Fountain Valley, Calif./Laconia Leafs) and sophomore forward Vance Bridgman (North Pole, Alaska/Idaho Stealheads), but the damage had already been done.

Despite allowing six goals, Kangaroos goaltender Louie Puig (Chicago, Ill./Soo Eagles) stopped a career-best 41 shots, including 14 in the first period, 14 in the second, and 13 in the third.

Stonehill (3-2, 2-0 NE-10) returns to action a week from tonight, when the Skyhawks host Wesleyan (Conn.) University at 7 p.m. at the Foxboro Sports Center. SUNY Canton (1-5-1) returns to the ice this weekend for a home-and-home series with SUNY Potsdam on Friday and Saturday night.

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