Senior Kevin Aufiero scored one of two Stonehill goals tonight, but the Skyhawks fell at Southern Maine, 3-2. |
Skyhawks score two goals on 18 shots in the second period
GORHAM, Maine (November 1, 2014) – The Stonehill College ice hockey team trimmed its deficit to one with two second period goals after trailing 3-0 in the opening period, but the University of Southern Maine held on for a 3-2 victory this evening in non-conference men's ice hockey action at the USM Ice Arena.
Senior Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers Academy) and junior Robbie Dorgan (Ossining, New York/Ossining) scored power play goals for the Skyhawks, while senior Brendan Greene (Weymouth, Massachusetts/Catholic Memorial), juniors Richard Harris (Grand Island, New York/Kent School) and Garrett White (North Reading, Massachusetts/Malden Catholic) and freshman Brendan White (North Reading, Massachusetts/Kimball Union Academy) recorded assists.
For the second consecutive night, the Skyhawks dug themselves into a hole in the first period. In last night's season opener at the University of New England, the Nor'easters scored four times in the opening 12 minutes en route to a 4-1 victory. Tonight, the Huskies potted three goals in the first and forced the Skyhawks to play from behind the entire contest.
Senior forward Stephen Gallo (Barnstead, New Hampshire/Northern Cyclones) got it started for Southern Maine with 9:53 elapsed in the first, when he scored with assists from freshman defenseman Dan Carter (Burlington, Ontario/South Muskoka Shield) and junior forward Bob Ganley (Weymouth, Massachusetts/Bridgton Academy).
Senior forward Alex Tobey (South Berwick, Maine/Berwick Academy) doubled the home team's lead five minutes later, and sophomore forward Todd Bannerman (Georgetown, Ontario/Cambridge Winter Hawks) completed Southern Maine's first period trifecta with a goal 52 seconds before intermission.
After recording nine shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes, Stonehill came out firing in the second period, as the Skyhawks doubled their shot output with 18. Stonehill broke through 6:13 into the frame, when Dorgan scored his first of the season with the help of Greene and Harris after Carter was whistled for a holding penalty.
Dorgan |
Ten minutes later, the Skyhawks again made use of their man advantage, as Aufiero brought Stonehill back to within a goal following Carter's third infraction of the period. Garrett and Brendan White were both credited with assists on Aufiero's goal.
After ramping up the offensive pressure in the second period, the Skyhawks were unable to get anything going in the third, as Southern Maine freshman goaltender Kyle Shapiro (Ocean, New Jersey/Walpole Express) stopped all nine of the shots that came his way. Overall, Shapiro made 34 saves in the contest, including 16 in the second period.
Making his first start for Stonehill since the 2012-13 campaign, junior netminder Matt Palella (Chicago, Illinois/Loyola Academy) turned aside 23 shots. After giving up three goals on nine shots in the opening period, Palella was perfect the rest of the way, stopping each of the 14 shots that he saw.
Stonehill outshot Southern Maine 36-26 in the game, including by an 18-7 margin in the second period. The Skyhawks also converted on two of their three opportunities with a man advantage, while the Huskies were 0-for-1.
Stonehill (0-2, 0-0 NE-10) will be off until next Thursday, when the Skyhawks open their 2014-15 home slate at the Foxboro Sports Center against Salve Regina University. Southern Maine (1-0, 0-0 ECAC East) returns to action next Friday against Castleton College.
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