The St. Thomas Aquinas College Ice Hockey team dropped a 10-4 home decision to Stevens Institute of Technology on Friday evening at Sport-O-Rama Ice Rinks in Monsey, NY. Tonight's contest was the backend of a home-and home series, which the visiting Ducks swept after also defeating the Spartans 2-1 last Sunday evening in Newark, NJ.
In the opening period, Stevens Tech quickly built a 2-0 lead on goals by James Surless just three minutes into the game and a Frederick Corbett powerplay tally at 5:20. However, St. Thomas Aquinas was able to cut the lead in half, as Douglas Harrison lit the lamp with just over three minutes left in the period, making it 2-1. The teams headed to their respective locker rooms without further scoring being done, leaving STAC down by just one.
The second stanza saw the visiting Ducks increase their margin on the scoreboard when Patrick Mello (:27) and Steven Saporito (1:10) quickly struck twice to give Stevens a 3-goal lead at 4-1. Stephen Finkel was able to score at 3:15 and cut the lead in half once again at 4-2, before Stevens Tech. answered two more times on goals by Dan Thek (8:00) and Eamon Bontempo (11:29), pushing the Ducks lead to 6-2, and chasing Spartan starting goalie Carl Lorenz from the net in favor of Peter Gianatiempo. A timeout and goaltending change seemed to have an immediate effect on STAC, as Carter Taylor netted his first collegiate goal (7:38) to once again cut the lead in half at 6-3. However, the good feeling was short lived, as visitors from New Jersey picked up another tally by Alexander Phipps (17:40) to make it 7-3, and close out the scoring for the middle frame.
Third period action began with yet another quick strike from Stevens Tech., as Alexander Phipps picked up his second goal of game at thirty three seconds to push the margin to 8-3. Then again St. Thomas Aquinas would halve the lead, when Douglas Harrison picked up his second of contest (4:47) to make it 8-4. The Ducks would make it a ten-spot late in the game, as Jacob Senkewicz (18:09) and Shea Bontempo (19:58) shots would find the back of the net, closing out the evening and giving Stevens Institute of Technology a 10-4 victory.
Spartan Goalie Carl Lorenz (L, 2-6) stopped 17 of 23 shots faced in 31:29 of action over two periods, while Peter Gianatiempo finished out the final 28:31 and picked up 12 saves. Ducks goalie Evan Senkewicz went the distance, picking up 23 stops to earn the win.
Shots on goal for the game were 27 for St. Thomas Aquinas and 39 for Stevens Institute of Technology.
St. Thomas Aquinas College will hit the road for a three-game Pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Tournament, when they take part in the East Coast College Showdown November 16-18 in Aston, PA. On Friday, November 16th STAC takes on Catholic University at 5:30, then on Saturday, November 17th the Spartans face American University in a 7pm tilt, before wrapping up the tournament on Sunday, November 18th versus Shippensburg University in an 11:30am puck drop. All games will be played at the Ice Works Skating Complex.