MacKinnon scores twice, Arsenault and McIntyre net first career goals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Tony Bonvechio - Phone: 802.654.2929

Box Score: http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/mice/2010-11/files/mstmcst.htm.

RUTLAND, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College men's hockey team (8-13-1, 5-11-1 ECAC East, 2-0-0 NE-10) scored two third-period goals to work a late 4-4 tie with Castleton, but the nationally-ranked Spartans rallied with two of their own to take a 6-4 win at Spartan Arena on Saturday. 

For Saint Michael's, junior Reave MacKinnon (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Winnipeg Saints) scored twice to bump his team-leading total to 14 goals on the year. Freshmen Ryan Arsenault (Reading, Mass./New Hampton School) and Nic McIntyre (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec/Kent School) both netted their first career goal, with McIntyre also assisting on Arsenault's tally.

For Castleton, senior Stuart Stefan (Delhi, Ontario/Burlington (OJHL)) earned a hat trick to become the all-time leader in career goals in Spartan program history. Stefan's 49^th career goal helped him pass Brandon Heck, who previously set the program against Saint Michael's in an 8-3 win on Feb. 13, 2009.

Stefan got Castleton going with a power play goal at 10:57 in the first period, but MacKinnon countered with a wrist shot just under seven minutes later to knot things at 1-all. Castleton sophomore Dan Bell (Victoria, B.C./Panthers (VIJHL)) later beat Saint Michael's sophomore goalie Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) on the left side to give the Spartans a slim lead after one period.

Another Castleton goal put the Purple Knights down two, but Arsenault's man-up tally halved the Spartan advantage. Stefan then answered with his second power play goal of the night to make it 4-2 in favor of Castleton.

McIntyre kept the upset hopes alive when he beat Castleton freshman goalie Erick Cinotti (Mahwah, N.J.)/Wichita Falls) glove side to make it 4-3. Less than five minutes later, MacKinnon grabbed a breakaway goal to tie things up at 4-4.

The Spartans would not be bested, however, and freshman Mike Cifelli (Havre De Grace, Md./Huskies (EJHL)) scored the game-winner on a loose puck rebound at 11:59. Stefan later claimed his historical goal on an empty net with 17 seconds to play.

Dizgun made 22 saves for the Purple Knights, while Cinotti stopped 21 shots for Castleton to pick up his ninth win of the season.

The Purple Knights play their final away contest and last Northeast-10 Conference regular season game on Tuesday when they face off at Stonehill at 6 p.m.

GAME SUMMARY
Saint Michael's 1 1 2 - 4
Castleton         2 2 2 - 6

First Period: 1. CST, Stefan (Alonzo, Harris), 10:57. 2. STM, MacKinnon (Sheehan, Earle), 17:35. 3. CST, Bell (Wieland, Cifelli), 19:46.

Second Period: 4. CST, Zeggil (Lazorko, Gullett), 8:40. 5. STM, Arsenault (Higgins, McIntyre), 12:57. 6. CST, Stefan (Harris, Atkins), 14:31.

Third Period: 6. STM, McIntyre (Rigtrup, Briand), 4:10. 7. STM, MacKinnon (Earle, Lampron), 8:57. 8. CST, Cifelli (Bell, Wieland). 9. CST, Stefan (Alonzo), 19:43.  

Shots on Goal: STM (6 – 8 – 11 – 25), CST (10 – 8 – 10 – 28)

Saves: STM, Dizgun (59:34), 22 saves. CST, Cinotti (59:48), 21 saves.

                                                                  -PURPLEKNIGHTS-