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St. Michael's Rookie Pieprzak Nets Hat Trick, Finishes with Four Points in 5-3 Win at Southern Maine
- Details
- Created on Saturday, 12 November 2011 04:56
- Written by George Commo
Freshman puts up hat trick and assist
Courtesy of St. Michael's Sports Information
GORHAM, Maine - Freshman A.J. Pieprzak's (Barrie, Ontario/Ridley College) hat trick and assist lifted the Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team to its first victory of the season, 5-3 against the University of Southern Maine at the USM Ice Arena on Friday evening. The Purple Knights moved to 1-1 this winter during their Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East opener, while the Huskies are 1-2 and 1-2.
The visitors rallied from a 2-1 deficit to take the lead for good on the strength of three second-period power-play goals. Pieprzak's points were the first of his career, while juniors Justin Castagna (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Angeles Kings) and Petr Soustal (Unicov, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Unicov) added a goal and an assist apiece. Junior Morgan Bell (Revelstoke, British Columbia/Saint Albert Saints) and sophomore Sam Torney (Shelburne, Vt./Green Mountain Glades) had a pair of helpers each, and junior Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made 22 saves.
Three different Southern Maine players scored, while sophomore Braely Torris (Eckville, Alberta/Drayton Valley Thunder) had 18 stops during the first two periods of play.
Pieprzak's first collegiate tally knotted the score 13:45 into the first period, but the hosts grabbed a 2-1 edge at 3:05 of the second. From there, Saint Michael's turned three straight man-up opportunities into goals during an 8:40 stretch. Castagna converted passes by Bell and Pieprzak for his first goal of the year at 7:33, and Soustal put the visitors in front for good at 13:10 with his initial tally. Pieprzak completed the flurry at 16:13.
After Southern Maine chipped within 4-3 on a power-play marker 6:44 into the third period, Pieprzak completed his scoring outburst at 13:40, with Soustal and Torney notching their second assists of the night.
The Purple Knights remain in Maine tomorrow for a 4 p.m. contest at the University of New England.
