Purple Knights use three third-period goals to break 10-win mark for season
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Contact: Tony Bonvechio - Phone: 802.654.2929
Box Score: http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/mice/2010-11/files/mconstm.htm.
Senior Day Photos: http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/mice/2010-11/photos/0001/index.
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College men's hockey team (10-14-1, 6-12-1 ECAC East) used three goals in the third period to skate past Connecticut College 4-1 on Senior Day at Cairns Arena on Saturday. All seven skating seniors tallied at least one point in their final regular season home game and helped the Purple Knights finish with 10 regular season wins.
Saint Michael's honored nine seniors during pregame ceremonies: Glenn Belmore (Cornwall, Ontario/Univ. of Maine), Fran Briand (South Burlington, Vt./Loomis Chaffee School), captain Alex Higgins (Phoenix, Ariz./Kent School), Tully LaBelle-Hamer (Fairbanks, Alaska/Alaska Avalanche), Reave MacKinnon (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Winnipeg Saints), Brian McWade (Franklin, Mass./Xaverian Brothers), assistant captain Matt Rigtrup (Montclair, N.J./Pickering Panthers), Brendan Rimmer (Newbury, Mass./Pingree School) and assistant captain Nick Sheehan (Potsdam, N.Y./Cornwall Colts).
For the Purple Knights, freshman Nic McIntyre (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec/Kent School) delivered the game-winner early in the third period, and Higgins had a multiple-point night with a goal and an assist. Rimmer carried the team on his back by stopping 24-of-25 shots and holding the Camels scoreless for over two periods of play.
The Camels broke a defensive deadlock late in the first period when freshman Mike Sinsigalli (Wilton, Conn./Taft School) managed to hold for a one-handed, off-balance goal despite hard contact in front of the crease. The Purple Knights would even things up in the fifth minute of the second frame on a rebound tally by sophomore Alex Davidson (South Burlington, Vt./St. Paul's School). Belmore fired a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that was saved, gathered by sophomore Michael Jangro (Reading, Mass./Valley Warriors), and flushed by Davidson who was crashing hard from the left side.
McIntyre netted the deciding goal just over a minute into the third period. MacKinnon held the puck behind the net, biding his time just long enough to find McIntyre for the one-touch wrist shot at the right circle.
A five-minute Camels penalty gave the Purple Knights a chance for some insurance in the final minute, and Rigtrup took advantage with a blazing wrist shot, using LaBelle-Hamer's screen to beat Connecticut's freshman goalie Mike Petchonka (Ridgefield, Conn./Taft School) on the left side. Higgins added a buzzer-beating goal for good measure, beating two defenders down the left wing and depositing a forehand shot as time expired.
Rimmer made 25 saves in his third win of the season for Saint Michael's, while Petchonka stopped 37 shots for the Camels.
The Purple Knights return to action on Mar. 2 when they host a Northeast-10 Conference Semifinal game at 7 p.m.
GAME SUMMARY
1 2 3 Total
Connecticut Col. 1 0 0 1
Saint Michael's 0 1 3 4
SCORING
First Period: 1. CON, Sinsigalli (Boutet, Servideo), 17:39.
Second Period: 2. STM, Davidson (Jangro, Belmore), 5:43.
Third Period: 3. STM, McIntyre (MacKinnon, Earle), 1:06. 4. STM, Rigtrup (Higgins, Briand), 19:35. 5. STM, Higgins (Sheehan, LaBelle-Hamer), 19:59.
Shots on Goal: CON (7 – 12 – 6 – 25), STM (8 – 14 – 19 – 41)
Saves: CON, Petchonka (37 saves), 60:00. STM, Rimmer (24 saves), 59:40.
-PURPLEKNIGHTS-
