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Skyhawks make 12th-straight appearance in NE10 Tournament
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Palmer recorded his first-career shutout against Southern New Hampshire this season |
EASTON, Mass. (February 16, 2017) – Top-seeded regular season champion Saint Michael's College will host third-seeded Stonehill College in semifinal round action of the 2017 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament at Cairns Arena on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.
Tickets for the first-round matchup will be $6 for adults, $4 for children/seniors and $1 for students (with a valid NE10 ID).
The winner of Saturday afternoon's game will advance to the NE10 Championship next Saturday, February 25, to face the winner of the other semifinal matchup between top-seeded Saint Anselm College (12-11-2, 7-10-1 NE10) and third-seeded Assumption College (9-15-2, 5-5-1 NE10) being played at the Sullivan Ice Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, at 3 p.m. The championship game will be played at the highest-remaining seeded arena.
Stonehill (9-13-4, 5-2-1 NE-10) ranks third after the NE10 regular season, coming off three-straight regular season championship seasons. Included in this season is the Skyhawk's most recent win against Southern New Hampshire University February 11, which marked Stonehill's first shutout, 8-0, since 2014.
Stonehill and Saint Michael's have squared off only once this season at the end of January where the Skyhawks walked away with a 6-4 loss. The Skyhawks and the Purple Knights have met 13 times including three semifinal matchups and one championship game. In the last seven encounters, the Skyhawks have the edge over the Purple Knights, 4-2-1.
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Jacques is tied for first on the team with 19 points |
Senior captain Evan Jacques (Norton, Massachusetts/South Shore Kings) has led a balanced Stonehill offense, as he is one of two Skyhawks that rank in the top-10 in the NE10 in point scoring. Jacques' 19 total points on 14 goals and five assists are good for seventh in the conference and put him in first for goal-scoring.
Freshman forward Cameron Wright (West Dummerston,Vermont/Springfield Pics) has also been a key offensive contributor for the Skyhawks, as he ties Jacques for eighth in the NE10 with 19 points on eight goals and 11 assists. Wright placed second to Jacques in NE10 goal-scoring.
Classmate Conor Cassidy (Wilmington, Delaware/Canterbury and Kents Hill) ranked seventeenth in the final standings at 17 points, scoring 12 goals and dishing out five assists.
Sophomore netminder Billy Palmer (Cranston, Rhode Island/Boston Bandits) has been key to Stonehill's success this season. He is third in goals against average (GAA) at 3.26, fifth in save percentage (.910) and third in winning percentage (.440). Palmer's career-high in saves is 50 which he set against Assumption College in a 5-2 triumph.
Key players for Saint Michael's include junior forward Eric Salzillo (Johnston, Rhode Island/Boston Bandits), as he is one of two Purple Knights ranked in the top three in NE10 point scoring. Ranked second in the league, Salzillo has 23 points, nine goals, and 14 assists.
Following him in NE10 point scoring is teammate Sam D'Antuono (Hingham, Massachusetts/Dexter School) with a total of 22 points, consisting of eight goals and 14 assists. Sophomore goaltender Chris Johnson (Duxbury, Massachusetts/Pomfret School) ranks sixth in GAA (3.74), sixth in save percentage (.902) and sixth in winning percentage (.348).
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
2017 Northeast-10 Conference Ice Hockey Tournament
Saturday, February 18 – Semifinals
No. 4 Assumption College at No. 1 Saint Anselm College 3 p.m.
No. 3 Stonehill College at No. 2 Saint Michael's College 4 p.m.
Saturday, February 25 – Championship
Winner of No. 1 vs. No. 4 vs. Winner of No. 2 vs. No. 3 *
*At highest-remaining seed arena