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Men's Hockey: Purple Knights Fall to No. 3 Castleton State

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Created on Sunday, 04 December 2011 03:33

Written by George Commo

Colin Murray 2 goals for Castleton ... Mike Dizgun 44 Saves for SMC

Courtesy St. Micahel's Sports Information

SOUTH BURLINGTON - The Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team stayed with nationally-ranked Castleton State College on Saturday during an eventual 5-2 loss at Cairns Arena in an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East contest.

Saint Michael's is now 1-6-1 overall and 1-4-1 conference play, while the Spartans improved to 10-1 and 7-1. The Spartans were ranked third in this week's U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll.

Purple Knight junior goalie Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) made a career-high-tying 44 saves, holding the Spartans off the scoreboard until 12:37 had elapsed in the game. Dizgun posted 15 of saves in the first period and 23 in second. Junior Dan Evarts (Hinesburg, Vt./Green Mountain Glades) and freshman A.J. Pieprzak (Barrie, Ontario/Ridley College) each netted a goal.

For Castleton State, sophomore Colin Murray (Oshawa, Ontario/Seguin) scored twice, while juniors Josh Harris (Torrance, Calif./Breakers) and Ben Shoeneberger (Vernon, Conn./Hartford) and freshman Ryan Frost (Fullerton, Calif./Wichita Falls) each added a tally. Senior goalie Seth McNary (Woburn, Mass./Walpole) made 17 stops.

Harris found the back of the net on a power play 12:37 into the game, but the Purple Knights pushed for a tie with a flurry of shots with 3:30 left on the clock, with juniors Josh Geary (Wellesley, Mass./Phillips Andover Academy) and Rich Rodeschini (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Canterbury School) sending back-to-back shots, both being stopped by McNary. With just 2:11 left in the first period, Castleton State netted the second goal of the contest, when Murray sent a backhanded shot past Dizgun.

Just 58 seconds into the second period, Pieprzak converted for the Purple Knights, capitalizing on a scuffle in front of the net. Seven minutes later, Castleton State tallied again when Murray netted his second marker of the contest, and with 5:09 left in the second period, Shoeneberger scored. Midway through the period, Dizgun made a series of big plays, turning away two close-range shots. With a little less than four minutes left, the Purple Knights applied pressure, sending three straight shots, two of which were blocked and the third saved.

Eight minutes into the third period, Evarts converted for the Purple Knights on a power play, picking up a rebound after McNary stopped two consecutive Saint Michael's shots. Castleton State netted the final marker of the game when Frost sent a shot into the net with 3:41 remaining in the contest.

The Purple Knights next host the Saint Michael's Holiday Classic, facing Salve Regina University on Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. followed by Becker College on Dec. 31 at 4 p.m.