Men’s Hockey: Wesleyan Edges St. Mike’s in Overtime

Posted on by George Commo

Courtesy St. Michael’s Sports Information

SOUTH BURLINGTON – Wesleyan University junior Chad Malinowski scored with 1:32 remaining in overtime, as the Saint Michael’s College men’s ice hockey team kicked off the new year with a 3-2 loss on Wednesday in Cairns Arena. The Purple Knights are now 6-6-1, while the Cardinals improved to 5-1-3.

 

Sophomore John Barry (South Boston, Mass./Deerfield Academy) and first-year Brandon Mitchell (North Scituate, R.I./Pomfret School) tallied a goal each for the Purple Knights. Senior Nathan Foice (Essex, Vt./The Winchendon School) and first-year Ethan Hendrickson (Budd Lake, N.J./New Jersey Rockets) pitched in an assist apiece.

 

Senior Eric Salzillo (Johnston, R.I./Boston Bandits) went 12-for-21 from the dot while first-year Thomas Flack (Toronto, Ontario/Saint Michael’s Buzzers) went 6-for-13. Senior Keegan Finn (Yarmouth, Mass./Bay State Breakers) blocked three shots as sophomore Tim Decker (Liverpool, N.Y./Canterbury School) had 34 saves.

 

Senior Dylan Holze led the Cardinals with a goal and an assist with Malinowski and sophomore Tyler Wyatt adding a goal each. First-year Matthew Zandi netted two assists while sophomore Tim Sestak had 34 saves.

 

Early at 2:16 in the opening stanza, Mitchell connected out front after receiving a behind-the-net Hendrickson pass to hit a one-timer to Sestak’s five-hole. The Cardinals had a chance at 7:20 as Zandi’s shot bounced off of Decker’s glove with sophomore Spencer Foxgrabbing the rebound to miss a wide open net. Soon after, Wesleyan tied the game at 7:44 after Zandi sent a pass from the right circle as Wyatt one-timed the shot from the left side of the crease to the back of the net.

 

Saint Michael’s struck first in the second period at 5:53 as Barry’s shot from the left boards trickled through Sestak’s five-hole to create a 2-1 advantage. Wesleyan netted its second goal to tie the game once again during a power-play opportunity at 19:41 as Holze picked the right corner of the net from the left circle.

 

A scoreless third period led to extra minutes with the Cardinals coming out on top at 3:28. From the left circle, Holze sent a pass across the face of the goal as Malinowski connected near the bottom of the right circle to send the game-winner past a prone and stick-less Decker.

 

The Purple Knights start Northeast-10 Conference play back up on Friday at Assumption College at 5:35 p.m. for a weekend series.