HOOKSETT, N.H. - Senior Jeremy Routh (Hamden, Conn./New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs) registered five points, including his first college hat trick, to power the Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team past Southern New Hampshire University, 6-1, in the opener of a Northeast-10 Conference weekend series on Friday at Ice Den Arena. The Purple Knights improved to 4-1 in their last five games.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (8-9-1, 7-5-1 NE10), Southern New Hampshire (6-14, 5-10 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Routh, 3 goals, 2 assists
• Junior Zach Taylor (Hanover, Mass./South Shore Kings), 1 goal, 2 assists, 15-for-24 faceoffs
• Sophomore David Ciancio (Scituate, R.I./Seahawks Hockey Club), 1 goal, 2 assists
• Sophomore Brennan McFarland (Greeley, Colo./Northern Colorado Eagles), 1 goal, 1 assist
• Senior Matt Schreiner (Falmouth, Mass./Walpole Express), 1 assist, 13-for-19 faceoffs
• Junior Marshall Murphy (Little Canada, Minn./Northern Colorado Eagles), 45 saves
• Senior Sam Johnson (Freeport, Maine/Walpole Express), 4 blocks
• First-year Ashton Allain (Brentwood, Tenn./Walpole Express), 4 blocks
• Junior TJ Beaver (Enfield, N.H./Proctor Academy), 3 blocks
• Sophomore Jack Macdonald (Baraboo, Wis./Seahawks Hockey Club), 10-for-16 faceoffs

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Senior Ryan Coady, 1 goal
• Graduate student Adam Mercer, 21 saves in 49:25
• Sophomore Cam Bernard, 4 saves in 10:15 of relief

GAME FACTS

• Routh's hat trick was the first multi-goal game by a Purple Knight this season, and the first multi-goal outing of his career. The last Saint Michael's players to tally hat tricks were Taylor and Matt Egan '22, both last Feb. 1 at Franklin Pierce University. Routh has 10 goals after entering the season with eight for his career.
• Routh is the first Purple Knight with five points since AJ Pieprzak '15 on Feb. 3, 2015, at Franklin Pierce.
• The Purple Knights improved to 7-0 this season when scoring at least four goals.
• The Purple Knights held a 45-31 lead on faceoffs while being outshot, 46-31.
• In the past 15 series meetings between the Purple Knights and Penmen, Saint Michael's moved to 7-0 in contests decided by at least three goals.

THE ACTION

• The Purple Knights forged ahead just 1:10 into the contest, as Ciancio's stretch pass from his own zone found the far zone and McFarland, who went in alone on Mercer.
• Coady's slapshot from the left circle provided the Penmen the tying power-play goal at 8:29 of the opening frame.
• Saint Michael's struck for three quick goals in a 2:01 span late in the stanza. Nearly a carbon copy of their team's opening goal, Taylor's long pass from his own zone sprung Routh, who was behind the Penmen defense, for the go-ahead tally at 17:58. Routh added a penalty shot at 19:25, and Ciancio dumped a shot from the right circle on net with one second left that eluded Mercer during a power play.
• Routh finished off his hat trick 1:04 into the third period, finding the net from between the circles on another power-play tally.
• Only 2:33 later, Taylor picked up a loose puck along the boards and scored from the right circle for a shorthanded tally.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Saturday at Southern New Hampshire, 1:40 p.m.