KEENE, N.H. – Matthew Brunton scored on the power play 1:58 into the second period to break a scoreless tie, and from that point on, the flood gates opened as Salve Regina University scored five times in the middle 20 minutes to cruise to a 6-0 non-conference win over the Keene State College men's ice hockey team at Keene Ice on Tuesday night.
Highlights
Postgame Interview (Coach Rodrigue)
The Seahawks (19-4-0), playing as an independent in Division III this season, were ranked No. 9 in the NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings through Sunday's game – figuring to have a chance at an at-large bid into the NCAA championship – and have just one contest remaining (a non-counted game against Division II Franklin Pierce University). They did nothing to hurt their cause on this night, as they would ultimately score three times in the opening 6:55 of the period to build a 3-0 lead, and then added two more within 3:06 of each other late in the period to hand the Owls (5-15-0) their most lopsided loss at Keene Ice in their two seasons.
For a KSC team that had scratched and clawed in recent efforts – dropping three of their last four games by a goal (two in overtime) and the other by two – it represented a forgettable midweek contest with now just five games remaining in their second NCAA Division III season and first in the Little East Conference. The Owls got very little going offensively, mustering just nine shots on target in the opening 40 minutes. Salve had 30 alone in the second period.
KSC had only one chance on the power play, and it came 13:44 into the third with the Seahawks up 6-0. They got three shots off on the opportunity, but Salve goalie Selby Warren pitched a 20-save shutout.
Ben Skelton made 49 saves in the opening two periods and 60 for the game.
Salve had six different people score, with Aidan Coupe assisting on both Brunton's opening goal and Parker Mabbett's lamp-lighter at 3:11 of the second. He would then score off a pass from Cody Plaza at the 6:55 mark before Brady Plaza found Brendan Abban eight minutes later for a 4-0 lead. Jonathan Hammel tacked on another with 1:59 left in what was a disastrous period for the home team, which had been coming off a strong effort – particularly in 5-on-5 action, at Keene Ice on Saturday against rival Plymouth State University.
The Owls will look to regroup and get back on track when they travel to face Western Connecticut State University on Saturday (February 7) at 3:00 p.m. in their lone game of the weekend. The Wolves picked up their first-ever LEC win last Saturday when they beat New England College 3-2 at home. KSC took the first meeting 5-4 in Keene in November and is two points ahead of the Wolves in the standings thanks to a pair of overtime losses. The Owls return home to host Vermont State University Castleton and Norwich University (Senior Night) the following weekend before traveling to the University of Massachusetts-Boston and the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth to wrap up the regular season.
