Great Neck, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Ice Hockey team wrapped up its 2023-2024 regular season schedule on Friday night, while also securing the #2 seed in the upcoming Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference playoffs, with an 8-5 road victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) at the Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink.
STAC improves to 14-5-1 overall and 10-3-1 in MCHC play. The Spartans 14th victory also sets a new mark for wins in a season for eighth year Head Coach Matt Schuster, eclipsing the previous record of 13 in 2019-2020.
Jason Desalvo netted a hat-trick for the maroon and gold, while Andrew Fenninger tallied a pair of goals. Teammates John Brennan, Sebastiano Vinci and Nicholas Delia each contributed to the scoresheet with goals of their own. In net, Michael Pippo (W, 9-3-1) stopped 27-of-31 shots faced in 57 minutes of action, with Vito Maniscalco closing out the contest and allowing a goal on three shots faced.
Game Summary
First Period Scoring Summary
USMMA Kings Point - No Scoring.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Jason Desalvo (Andrew Fenninger) 0:28, Andrew Fenninger (Nicholas Delia, Jason Desalvo) 5:08, John Brennan (Joey Camporeale) 8:43/PP, Sebastiano Vinci (Neven Grubic, Noah Barr) 18:22.
First Period Penalty Summary
USMMA Kings Point - Wyant Smith (Tripping/2:00 Minor) 7:43.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Conner Suthard (Cross-Checking/2:00 Minor) 15:32.
Second Period Scoring Summary
USMMA Kings Point - Michael Doshan (Unassisted) 9:49/PP, Mark Stefanick (Michael Doshan, Henry Root) 14:18, Michael Doshan (Unassisted) 19:18, Henry Root (Unassisted) 19:41.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Jason Desalvo (Nicholas Delia, Joey Camporeale) 5:22, Andrew Fenninger (Nicholas Delia, Jason Desalvo) 10:37.
Second Period Penalty Summary
USMMA Kings Point - No Penalties.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Greg Drefko (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 9:36.
Third Period Scoring Summary
USMMA Kings Point - Ian Heiss (Patrick Duffy) 19:24.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Jason Desalvo (Andrew Fenninger) 5:03, Nicholas Delia (John Brennan, Andrew Fenninger) 16:45.
Third Period Penalty Summary
USMMA Kings Point - Mark Stefanick (Interference/2:00 Minor) 9:35, Xander Mallory (Hooking/2:00 Minor) 11:40, Braedan Dillon (Roughing/2:00 Minor) 17:12, Braedan Dillon (Misconduct/10:00 Misconduct) 17:12.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Jeremy Poggi (Tripping/2:00 Minor) 10:22, Jeremy Poggi (Misconduct/10:00 Misconduct) 10:22.
Goalies
USMMA Kings Point - Ben Cloutier (Loss, 60:00), 49 Saves.
St. Thomas Aquinas College - Michael Pippo (Win, 57:00), 27 Saves & Vito Maniscalco (3:00), 2 Saves.
Shots on goal
USMMA Kings Point - 34
St. Thomas Aquinas College - 57
Up Next
St. Thomas Aquinas College awaits its opponent for the semifinal round of the MCHC postseason tournament, which takes place on Saturday, February 24 (Time TBA, either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.) at the Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink in Great Neck, N.Y.
The winners of the two Saturday semifinal matchups will battle for the MCHC Championship on Sunday, February 25 (3:30 p.m.), also at the Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink in Great Neck, N.Y.