Senior Stephen Balsamo scored his first goal of the season in Stonehill's 3-2 win at Assumption tonight. |
Skyhawks record ninth straight win over Greyhounds
WORCESTER, Mass. (November 14, 2014) – Junior forward Anthony D'Elia (Stamford, Connecticut/Gunnery School) scored two goals seven seconds apart in the final minute of the second period as the Stonehill College ice hockey team opened its Northeast-10 Conference slate with a 3-2 victory against Assumption College this evening at Buffone Arena.
Senior captain Stephen Balsamo (Atkinson, New Hampshire/Brewster Academy) also found the back of the net for the Skyhawks, while senior defenseman Brendan Greene (Weymouth, Massachusetts/Boston Advantage) recorded a pair of assists.
Making his third start of the season in net, senior goaltender Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Massachusetts/Thayer Academy) made 33 saves as Stonehill won for the first time this season.
Freshman Tommy Mahoney (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) and junior Brandon Bete (Greenfield, Massachusetts/Northfield Mount Hermon) each scored for the Greyhounds, while junior netminder Chris Hemhauser (Old Saybrook, Connecticut/Glastonbury) stopped 37 of the 40 shots that came his way.
Stonehill opened the scoring just 2:44 into the first period, when Balsamo scored his first of the season on an assist from freshman Tommy Newton (Hollis, New Hampshire/Portland Jr. Pirates). The assist was the first point of Newton's collegiate career.
The Skyhawks maintained their advantage for the remainder of the period, but Assumption equalized less than a minute into the second period, as Mahoney beat Tasiopoulos with the help of junior Pat Trainor (Auburn, Massachusetts/Auburn) and freshman James Moore (Medford, Massachusetts/Medford).
Stonehill would regain its lead before the end of the period, however, as Greene found D'Elia at the 19:14 mark after Assumption senior Brennen Shaw (Presque Isle, Maine/Brewster Academy) was whistled for a holding penalty. The goal came with just two seconds remaining on the power play.
D'Elia |
Seven seconds later, Greene connected with D'Elia again to give the Skyhawks a two-goal edge heading into the final 20 minutes of action.
Bete brought the Greyhounds back to within a goal with his second of the season 2:21 into the third period, but Tasiopoulos turned aside the final nine shots that he saw to preserve the win for the Skyhawks.
Stonehill's victory over Assumption tonight was its ninth consecutive win in the series dating back to February 18th, 2012. The Skyhawks have outscored the Greyhounds 42-12 over the course of those nine contests.
Stonehill (1-2-1, 1-0-0 NE-10) is back in action next week with a pair of games at the Foxboro Sports Center. The Skyhawks will host Southern New Hampshire University on Tuesday night at 7 p.m., before taking on Franklin Pierce University Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Assumption (1-3-0, 1-1-0 NE-10) will host Franklin Pierce Wednesday night at 7:35 p.m.
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