FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2014
Courtesy of Southern New Hampshire Athletics Communications
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Back-to-back second-period goals led the Southern New Hampshire University ice hockey team to its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference Championship Saturday afternoon in front of a sell-out crowd at the Ice Den Arena in Hooksett, N.H.
The third-seeded Penmen defeated No. 4 Saint Michael's College, 4-1, to capture the title, and to close out the season. So. New Hampshire wraps up a 17-win season, the most in program history since 2004-05, while the Purple Knights see their season come to an end at 7-17-3.
Holske stopped 44 of 45 shots in goal en route to being named the Northeast-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player.
The Penmen defeated crosstown rival Saint Anselm by a score of 4-1 last week to punch its ticket to their third conference championship game, and first under Northeast-10 Coach of the Year Ken Hutchins.
So. New Hampshire scored two second-period goals, and held off Saint Michael's through the third, while also netting two empty net scores to secure the win.
All-Conference First-Team selection Jim Gabrione notched the first score of the game, and 18th on the season, in the second frame after a scoreless first period. Jay Sylvia and Nick Riccio assisted on the goal to give the Penmen a 1-0 advantage just 2:47 into the period. Sylvia then upped the lead to two with his 13th goal of the season two minutes later from Trevor Nelson and Riccio. So. New Hampshire held onto its lead for the first half of the period, but Kevin Altidor of Saint Michael's was able to sneak in a goal past Holske to put the Purple Knights on the board and cut the lead to one, heading into the final period.
Holske fended off 13 shots from the Purple Knights in order to keep them scoreless in the third, and to hold onto the 2-1 lead. With under a minute to play in the game, Saint Michael's pulled goalie Dave Donzanti and the Penmen capitalized on the empty net, scoring twice more in the final minute to secure the game and the 4-1 final. Senior Brian Troy scored the first empty-netter with 52 seconds remaining, and Dane Caracino followed with his 11th goal of the season with 11 seconds to play.
Most Outstanding Player Holske totaled 98 saves in the two championship games, while Gabrione and and Sylvia were also named to the All-Championship Team.
2014 Northeast-10 Ice Hockey All-Championship Team
Bryan Sullivan, Saint Anselm
Kevin Altidor, Saint Michael's
Dave Donzati, Saint Michael's
Jim Gabrione, Southern New Hampshire
Tyler Holske, Southern New Hampshire
Jay Sylvia, Southern New Hampshire
Willy Baker, Stonehill
Most Outstanding Player - Tyler Holske, Southern New Hampshire
