Fairfield, Conn. - Despite scoring two early goals, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Ice Hockey team suffered a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Sacred Heart University on Sunday evening at the Martire Family Arena.
STAC falls to 8-3-1 overall (6-2-1 MCHC) following the clash between Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference powers.
Jason Desalvo and Jeremy Poggi tallied a goal apiece for the Spartans on the evening, while Michael Pippo (L, 7-2-1) stopped 65 of 71 shots faced on the evening.
The turning point of the game came midway through the third period, with STAC leading 2-1. A pair of controversial penalty calls against the maroon and gold allowed Sacred Heart to score the eventual game-tying and game-winning goals on the power play.
First Period Scoring Summary
Sacred Heart University - No Scoring.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Jason Desalvo (Daniel McKeon, Nicholas Delia) 6:25/PP.
First Period Penalty Summary
Sacred Heart University - Ryan Martin (High Sticking/2:00 Minor) 3:22, Rob Goetze (Hooking/2:00 Minor) 5:24, Ben Sfarra (Interference/2:00 Minor) 11:09, Jack Reid (High-Sticking/2:00 Minor) 15:38, Bench (Too Many Men/2:00 Bench Minor) - Served by Austin Jellison 17:44, Matteo Wilde (Unsportsmanlike Conduct/2:00 Minor) 17:44.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Conner Suthard (Hooking/2:00 Minor) 7:21, Nicholas Delia (Unsportsmanlike Conduct/2:00 Minor) 11:09, Noah Barr (Tripping/2:00 Minor) 17:44.
Second Period Scoring Summary
Sacred Heart University - Brandon Cardelli (Austin Jellison, Matteo Wilde) 16:13.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Jeremy Poggi (James Guild) 15:34.
Second Period Penalty Summary
Sacred Heart University - Rob Goetze (Interference/2:00 Minor) 0:22, Conall Gately (Slashing/2:00 Minor) 8:16, Mike Angeletti (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 17:37, Lucca Conigliaro (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 17:37.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Andrew Fenninger (Unsportsmanlike Conduct/2:00 Minor) 0:22, Jason Desalvo (Holding/2:00 Minor) 6:46, James Guild (Slashing/2:00 Minor) 8:16, Greg Drefko (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 13:23, Greg Drefko (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 17:37, Nevin Grubic (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 17:37.
Third Period Scoring Summary
Sacred Heart University - Lucca Conigliaro (Justin Bernhard, Mike Angeletti) 8:21/PP, Mike Angeletti (Lucca Conigliaro, Zach MacLeod) 10:56/PP, Brady Marszalek (Jeremiah Ryan) 12:56, Mike Angeletti (Ryan Martin) 14:14, Mike Angeletti (Jeremiah Ryan) 17:34.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - No Scoring.
Third Period Penalty Summary
Sacred Heart University - Declan Lovett (Elbowing/2:00 Minor) 5:55, Jack Reid (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 11:32, Stan Duwal (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 11:32, Mike Richardson (Illegal Head Contact/5:00 Major) 18:43, Mike Richardson (Game Misconduct/10:00 Game Misconduct) 18:43, Ben Sfarra (Leaving the Crease/2:00 Minor) 19:00.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Devin Niccoll (High-Sticking/2:00 Minor) 8:03, Nicholas Delia (Tripping/2:00 Minor) 9:58, Michael Pippo (Leaving the Crease/2:00 Minor) 11:32, Joey Camporeale (Cross-Checking/2:00 Minor) 11:32, Jason Desalvo (Slashing/2:00 Minor) 19:00.
Goalies
Sacred Heart University - Ben Sfarra (Win, 60:00), 15 Saves.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Michael Pippo (Loss, 60:00), 65 Saves.
Shots on Goal
Sacred Heart University - 71
St. Thomas Aquinas College - 17
Up Next
St. Thomas Aquinas (8-3-1, 6-2-1 MCHC) closes its fall semester schedule by visiting Coast Guard Academy on Sunday, December 10 (3:00 p.m.) at the Dayton Arena in New London, Connecticut.