Sophomore Dan Graham led Stonehill to a 6-2 win over Assumption tonight with a goal and two assists. |
Skyhawks streak into NE-10 Championship on program record 10-game winning streak
FOXBORO, Mass. (February 20, 2014) – The Stonehill College ice hockey team wrapped up its 2013-14 regular season with a 6-2 victory over Assumption College tonight in Northeast-10 play at the Foxboro Sports Center. Stonehill set a new program record with its tenth-consecutive win, and the Skyhawks also matched the 1976-77 squad's program record of 16 wins in a season.
Sophomore forward Dan Graham (Billerica, Mass./Williston Northampton) led Stonehill tonight with three points on a goal and two assists, while senior captain Bryan Rooney (Canton, Mass./New Hampton School) and junior forward Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Mass./Walpole Express) added two points each on one goal and one assist.
Making just his fifth start of the season in net, sophomore goaltender Patrick Farrington (Sandwich, Mass./Bridgton Academy) was solid, making 23 saves in 25 opportunities. His counterpart, Assumption freshman netminder Nick Commesso (Marshfield, Mass./Governor's Academy) stopped 45 shots but ceded six goals in the loss.
After a scoreless 18:30 to open the game, Stonehill exploded for three goals in a 1:12 span to take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission. Rooney found the back of the net for his team-best 13th time this season at the 18:30 mark of the opening frame, and then Graham doubled Stonehill's advantage with a wrap-around goal just 18 seconds later on assists from defensemen Brendan Greene (Weymouth, Mass./Boston Advantage) and Travis Army (Englewood, Colo./Worcester Academy). Sophomore forward Willy Baker (Suffern, N.Y./Hill School) capped Stonehill's offensive flurry as he scored his fifth goal of the season with 18 seconds left in the period.
Senior captain Bryan Rooney recorded one goal and one assist, giving him a team-best 26 points this season. |
Assumption got one goal back early in the second frame, as freshman forward Ryan Gomez (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) beat Farrington with the help of junior defenseman Ben Cuzma (East Haven, Conn./Worcester) to make the score 3-1 at the 1:25 mark. Stonehill regained its three-goal advantage less than a minute later when sophomore forward Nate Soter (Danvers, Mass./Pingree School) scored his fifth of the season, and the Skyhawks then went up 5-1 at the 13:37 mark of the second on a goal by senior forward Bill Carey (Weymouth, Mass./South Shore Kings).
The two teams traded goals in the third period, with Aufiero netting his eighth of the season for Stonehill and sophomore forward Brandon Bete (Greenfield, Mass./Northfield Mt. Hermon) scoring for the Greyhounds. Stonehill outshot Assumption 51-25 in the contest, including 18-2 in the third period.
Stonehill has now won eight consecutive games against Assumption dating back to February 18th, 2012, and the Skyhawks have outscored the Greyhounds 39-10 over the course of those eight wins.
Stonehill (16-9-0, 11-0-0) will be right back in action on Saturday night at the Foxboro Sports Center, as the top-seeded Skyhawks are set to host fourth-seeded Saint Michael's College in the semifinal round of the Northeast-10 Championship. Opening face-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. The winner of the Stonehill/Saint Michael's contest will advance to take on the winner of the Saint Anselm College/Southern New Hampshire University semifinal matchup on Saturday, March 1st in the 2014 Northeast-10 Championship game.
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