Junior forward Kevin Airoldi scored twice and added an assist as Stonehill topped Becker 4-2 tonight. |
Junior Kevin Airoldi powers offense with two goals and an assist
FOXBORO, Mass. (January 14, 2015) – Stonehill College scored four goals over the final two periods of play to earn a 4-2 comeback victory over Becker College this evening in non-conference men's ice hockey action at the Foxboro Sports Center.
Stonehill junior forward Kevin Airoldi (Kennebunk, Maine/Boston Jr. Rangers) powered the offense with three points on two goals and an assist, while classmates Garrett White (Wakefield, Massachusetts/Boston Bulldogs) and Thomas DePoalo (Mendham, New Jersey/Morristown Beard School) also found the back of the net for the Skyhawks.
Senior Kevin Aufiero (Canton, Massachusetts/Walpole Express), juniors Dan Graham (Billerica, Massachusetts/Williston Northampton), and Anthony D'Elia (Stamford, Connecticut/Gunnery School), and freshman Brendan White (North Reading, Massachusetts/Kimball Union Academy) chipped in with an assist each.
Making his tenth start of the season in net, senior goaltender Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Massachusetts/Thayer Academy) improved to 6-2-2 after stopping 23 shots, including 13 in the third period.
Junior defenseman Francis Musick (Laurel Springs, New Jersey/New York Applecore) and sophomore forward Nicholas McKee (Bakersfield, California/Fresno Monsters) provided Becker's offense with one goal apiece, while junior Tyler Auricchio (Henderson, Nevada/Idaho Jr. Steelheads) and freshman Corey Sherman (Hilton, New York/Syracuse Stars) were credited with assists.
Becker junior netminder Gregg Hussey (Medford, Massachusetts/Valley Jr. Warriors) made a game-high 37 saves, including a combined 30 over the final 40 minutes of action.
The Hawks opened the scoring just 3:53 into the contest, as McKee ended up with the puck following a turnover in the Stonehill defensive zone and netted his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
Becker would carry their lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 7-4, but Stonehill responded early in the second to even the score. Airoldi collected a rebound from D'Elia's shot and beat Hussey at the 6:35 mark for the first of his two scores in the game.
The Skyhawks struck again before the end of the period, as White finished a one-timer from Aufiero to give the home team the lead with 1:09 remaining before the second intermission. After managing just seven shots in the first period, Stonehill ramped up the offensive pressure in the second, putting 15 shots on goal.
Still trailing by a goal early in the third, the Hawks caught a break when Stonehill junior defenseman Travis Army (Englewood, Colorado/Worcester Academy) was whistled for a roughing penalty at the 7:07 mark, just 47 seconds after D'Elia received a two-minute kneeing infraction. Becker capitalized on the 5-on-3 opportunity 17 seconds later, as Auricchio and Sherman set up Musick for the game-tying goal with 12:36 on the clock.
Stonehill was able to successfully kill off the remainder of the power play, before taking the lead with exactly nine minutes remaining in regulation when DePoalo stuffed home a rebound from Airoldi's shot for his second goal of the season. Airoldi then sealed the contest for the Skyhawks with his second tally of the night in the final minute of play.
Following tonight's contest, Stonehill (7-3-2, 3-0-1 NE-10) will hit the road this weekend for a pair of games at SUNY Canton. The Skyhawks and Kangaroos will face off on Saturday night at 7 p.m., before playing again on Sunday at 4 p.m. Becker (4-12, 0-5 ECAC Northeast) will return home to host the Wentworth Institute of Technology in ECAC NE action on Friday night.
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