MANCHESTER, N.H. – Seniors Kevin Vanous (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Greg Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) scored power-play goals, but the Saint Anselm College men's ice hockey team dropped a 4-2 decision to Castleton State College on Friday evening at Thomas F. Sullivan Arena.
The Hawks fall to 0-3-0 on the season for the first time since 1987-88, including 0-3-0 in ECAC East play, while the Spartans improve to 3-0-0, 3-0-0 ECAC East.
Saint Anselm drew first blood 8:10 into the game when Vanous notched the Hawks' first power-play goal of the season. Senior Alex Pascal (Blue Bell, Pa.) initiated the sequence by sending a quick touch pass from the top of the left circle to the top of the right circle for freshman Peter Sikalis (Acton, Mass.). Sikalis drove a hard slapshot on net that was stopped by Castleton goaltender Erick Cinotti, but the rebound caromed back out to Cinotti's left and Vanous popped it into the right side of the net for the 1-0 lead.
Castleton gained the equalizer just 2:55 later as Bart Moran slid the puck down the boards for Colin Murray, who found Will Laking in the right circle for a quick shot that seemed to deflect over the right shoulder of senior goaltender Robert Kang (Glen Rock, N.J.).
Kang kept the contest deadlocked with just over 10 seconds remaining in the opening period as Kyle Richards drove behind the net from the left end line and tried to wrap the puck around and into the cage, but Kang stoned him with the left pad.
The Spartans grabbed a 2-1 edge at 10:37 of the middle stanza when Ross Herzog slid the puck right-to-left across the slot for Murray, who roofed the puck off the crossbar and in. Richards was also credited with an assist on the power-play tally.
Castleton stretched the lead to two at 8:57 of the third period when Herzog won the faceoff at the left circle back to the high slot for Patrick Thornton, whose low wrister snuck between the left pad and the glove of Kang to make it 3-1.
Saint Anselm climbed back within a goal after taking advantage of a five-minute major with 5:17 to play in regulation. After a hitting-from-behind penalty and game misconduct to Eric Mack, Merrill received a pass at the right point from sophomore Bryan Sullivan (Burlington, Mass.) at the left point and sent a laser past Cinotti and into the upper right corner of the net. Junior Johnny Daniels (Andover, Mass.), who won the puck to Sullivan off the left boards, earned an assist on the play.
The Spartans iced it with 4.7 seconds left, however, when Murrary stole the puck on the power play, skated around a defender at the left circle and walked the puck into the net vacated by Kang, who the Hawks had pulled in favor of the extra attacker.
Kang made 35 saves, while Cinotti stopped 23 shots.
Castleton outshot Saint Anselm, 39-25, including 15-8 in the opening period. The Hawks went 2-for-7 with the man-advantage, while the Spartans went 2-for-6.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Nov. 16 at 4 p.m. when they play host to Skidmore College at Sullivan Arena. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
