Box Score
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Saint Anselm College scored three goals in the first period, and it would be all the offense they would need as the Hawks defeated the University of Southern Maine, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon in a New England Hockey Conference matchup at the Sullivan Arena in Manchester, N.H.
In a pregame ceremony, the Saint Anselm athletic department and its hockey team honored J. Tucker Mullin '13 for his Humanitarian efforts. Mullen was awarded the 2013 BNY Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award, becoming only the third non-Division I player to earn the honor.
After the ceremony, the Hawks (6-2-1, 5-1-1 NEHC) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Mark Meads (Middleton, Mass.) potted his seventh goal of the season on assists from Peter Sikalis (Acton, Mass.) and Bryan Sullivan (Burlington, Mass.). Sullivan moved the puck to the top of the face-off circle where Sikalis rifled a shot on net. Mears got his stick into the air and redirected the puck past Southern Maine's Kyle Shapiro for the 1-0 lead.
The Huskies (5-6-0, 2-5-0 NEHC) answered back exactly seven minutes later to tie the game at 1-1. After a Hawk turnover in the neutral zone, Jimmy Currier played the puck to the middle of the ice to Todd Bannerman. Bannerman slipped a backhanded pass to Zach Dymock and the senior buried a one-timer top shelf to knot the score at 1-1.
Saint Anselm took advantage of the power play to regain the lead with less than four minutes remaining in the first period. A shot from the point from Trevor Voelker (Columbus, Ohio) was turned away by Shapiro and the rebound came out to Kevin Dazkevich (West Hartford, Conn.). Dazkevich played the puck back to the blue line where Jon Pallotta (Leominster, Mass.) put a floater on net that got through the Huskies defense and into the back of the net.
Less than two minutes later Nick Leonard (Methuen, Mass.) gave the Hawks an insurance goal as the junior took advantage of a turnover on the power play. After the Huskies failed to clear, Bryan Sullivan forced a turnover and worked the puck to Mark Meads. Meads played a pass across ice to a wide open Leonard who beat the goalie one-on-one to give Saint Anselm the 3-1 lead.
The goal would prove to be important as the Huskies scored a mere 20 seconds into the third period to cut the deficit to only one. Southern Maine earned a face-off in the Saint Anselm zone and took possession on a failed clear. Cole Klippenstein played the puck in front to Todd Bannerman, who one touched the puck to Tyler Mathieu. Mathieu potted the open shot near post and got the Huskies to within one goal.
The Hawks defense stood firm the rest of the frame and Shane Joyce (Pembroke, Mass.) kept the Huskies off the board to help Saint Anselm grab a 3-2 victory.
Shane Joyce made seven stops on the night while facing nine shots and grabbed his fifth win of the season. The Hawks held a 27-9 advantage in shots on goal on the night, with the Huskies' Kyle Shapiro stopping 24 shots in the setback.
The Hawks are back in action on Thursday night when they host New England College in an NEHC game at 7:00 p.m.
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