MANCHESTER, N.H. – Freshman Brendon Kerrigan (Boston, Mass.) and junior Matt Buckley (Canton, Mass.) each scored goals, but the Saint Anselm College men's ice hockey team was taken down by Saint Michael's College, 4-2, Friday evening in ECAC East action at Thomas F. Sullivan Arena.
The Hawks dip to 6-9-4 on the season, including 3-7-4 in ECAC East play, while the Ice Knights improve to 4-14-1, 2-10-1 ECAC East.
Saint Anselm struck first at almost exactly the midpoint of the first period on a great play by junior Sean Jenkins (Boston, Mass.). Jenkins blocked down an attempted clear by Saint Michael's at the right boards, collected the puck and carried it behind the net before turning and sliding a pass back to the right post where Kerrigan was waiting to poke it into the net at the 10:01 mark.
The Ice Knights gained the equalizer on the power play with 7:38 left in the second period on a Kevin Altidor tally. Stephen Inman threw a shot on net from above the left circle that deflected off a Saint Anselm defender to the left endline where Jeremy Wong backhanded it back to the front of the net. The puck skipped off the stick of Will Coté at the left post and slid through the slot to Altidor, who swatted it in at the far post.
The Hawks pulled back in front 4:07 later when Buckley corralled the rebound off a shot from senior Kevin Vanous (Virginia Beach, Va.) and tried to jam it in from the right endline before pulling the puck out, skating behind the net and backhanding it in at the left post to make it 2-1.
Saint Michael's again pulled even with 4:22 remaining in regulation after keeping the puck in following repeated clear attempts by the Hawks. Ryan Arsenault finally ended up with the puck below the endline at the bottom of the right circle and sent a bad-angle shot toward the net that snuck through the five-hole of senior goaltender Robert Kang (Glen Rock, N.J.) to tie it at two. Dan Divis and Tim McAuliffe received assists on the play.
Wong gave the Ice Knights their first lead of the night with 24.4 seconds left after a nice play from Coté on a 2-on-1. Coté skated into the right circle, held the puck there to wait for Wong, then cut to the net and dished a pass across the slot for a crashing Wong, who knocked the puck into the open left side of the net.
Nick Potter sealed it with an empty-net goal with 4.7 seconds on the clock after he won the puck at the blueline near the left boards and sailed it just inside the right post.
Saint Anselm outshot Saint Michael's, 37-33, but came up empty on four extra-skater opportunities, while the Ice Knights went 1-for-4. Kang made 29 saves, while Saint Michael's goaltender Dave Donzanti stopped 35 shots.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. when they play host to fifth-ranked Norwich College on Senior Day at Sullivan. 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.
