SHELTON, Conn. (November 19, 2022)- Highlighted by Carter Rapalje's first career hat trick, the Stonehill College men's ice hockey team extended their win streak to seven games with a 5-2 win against Post University Saturday afternoon at the Sportscenter of Connecticut.
Scoring
STO: Carter Rapalje ( William Tripp and Dean Schwenninger ), 03:49-2nd period
Carter Rapalje ( Dean Schwenninger and Frank Ireland ), 12:27-2nd period
Jake Cady (Kyle Heath), 01:12-3rd period
Carter Rapalje ( Frank Ireland and Max Pineo ), 07:50-3rd period
Nolan FitzPatrick, 19:35-3rd period
POST: Ryan Cardow ( Michael Gethings and Jake Aloi ), 04:40-1st period
Trey DeLoury ( Patrick Murphy and Tommy Buis ), 05:32-3rd period
Goaltending
STO: John Day (60:00)- 33 saves
POST: Drew Blodgett (59:00)- 27 saves
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John Day finished with a season-high 33 saves Saturday afternoon (Photo Credit: Mary Gettens). |
The Details
- Less than five minutes into the contest (04:40), Post struck first courtesy of Cardow after he was set up by passes from Gethings and Aloi. Despite the early goal, Stonehill had plenty of chances for the equalizer as the squad outshot Post in the opening period by a 12-10 margin.
- However, early in the second (03:49), the Skyhawks evened the contest at one. Schwenninger had the puck in the right face-off circle and swung the puck over to Tripp who was in between both circles then found an open Rapalje in the left face-off circle who then riffled a wrister past Blodgett.
- Both sides continued to battle back and forth for a good part of the second and at 12:27, Raplje netted goal number two and made it 2-1. After Day stopped a shot from the Eagles, Ireland corralled the free puck and sent it up to Schwenninger who then found a streaking Raplje up and the middle and snuck the puck past Blodgett's stick side.
- Stonehill's offense continued their strong offensive play to start the third when Cady made it 3-1 after Heath from behind the net found Cady in front of the net and pushed the puck past the Eagles netminder for the two-goal advantage.
- The Eagles responded nearly three minutes later (04:40) and pulled back within one (3-2) but the Skyhawks answered with a goal of their own at 07:50 when Rapalje completed his first-ever hat trick. After Pineo sent the puck down to Ireland who was on Blodgett's right side, he took advantage of the out-of-place goalie and found Rapalje on the other side of the net for the open shot. Stonehill would later tack on an empty netter off the stick of FitzPatrick for the eventual 5-2 win.
- Day ended the day with 33 saves which marked a new season-high for the senior netminder.
Up Next
Stonehill returns home and looks to make it eight straight when the squad welcomes Westfield State on Tuesday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m.
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