Scorcia's hat-trick helps Seahawks reach championship tilt versus Bison

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. – John Scorcia (Hudson, Fla.) registered a hat-trick as part of a six point performance to help the Salve Regina University men's ice hockey team to a 9-3 victory over Johnson & Wales and advance to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast Championship.

During the game's early stages it seemed like there was a slight feeling out process. Neither team had made a significant push simply trading light blows. It appeared that the Seahawks and Wildcats would be in for another grinded out kind of game dominated by the goaltenders, as the previous meetings had been. However around the seven minute mark that all changed.

The Seahawks kicked it up a notch and found another gear, blowing the game open with three goals in a minute and 17 seconds. 

Evan Schultz (Durham, N.H.) tapped in a goal on a feed from Scorcia to start things off at 7:54 of the first period. Then Lucas Sousa (Billerica, Mass.) blasted a shot from the right wing through Johnson & Wales netminder Joey Ballmer (Kalamazoo, Mich.) at 8:51. Twenty seconds later Scorcia snapped home a shot from the slot and it was 3-0 in favor of the Seahawks.

Scoria would score the next two goals for the Seahawks, one on a powerplay 16 seconds into the second period, and the hat-trick goal at 9:04 on an athletic tip-in off a rebound shot from Schultz.

Ty Gradwell (Indiana, Pa.) made it 6-0 with a rocket shot that went five hole and the Seahawks had chased Ballmer from the game.

The Seahawks were in command of the game but the Wildcats began to gain a little momentum towards the end of the second period. Matt Lanzillotti (Chicago, Ill.) connected on a one-timer from the left point with 14.2 left in the second period, cashing in on a four on three powerplay and there was life for the Wildcats heading into the final intermission.

The Wildcats came out aggressive to start the third trying to find that next goal but it came much later than they would have liked. With 6:14 gone in the third Alex Porrier (Rutland, Vt.) wristed a shot past sophomore netminder Alexander Devine (Hampton, N.H.) to make it 6-2.

Crazier things have happened in hockey but the Wildcats were going to need to keep the Seahawks of the score sheet in the third period, but it was too tall of a task.

Schultz scored again at 8:19 to push it back to a five-goal margin, then Stefan Brucato (Lake Eslinore, Calif.) buried a shot right in front of Devine to make it 7-3 with 7:11 left.

The Seahawks would tack on two more goals before all was said and done and Salve Regina would walk away 9-3 winners, and with its ticket punched to the ECAC Northeast Championship game.

The Seahawks outshot the Wildcats 50-23 and scored three goals in every period, while going 2-2 on the powerplay.

Johnson & Wales finishes their season at 15-11-1 while the Seahawks improve to 12-9-3 and move on to face number one seeded Nichols on Saturday March 7 at 4:40 p.m.

Scorcia's three-goal three-assist effort made him the programs all-time leading scorer with 105 career points, passing Billy Baker who set the career mark of 101 points back in 2002.

"Johnny has always been someone we can count on," head coach Andy Boschetto said. "He puts the team before himself, and doesn't care about the accolades but for the team's ultimate success.  I feel honored that 4 years ago he chose Salve and the point record is great but his impact goes far beyond a point total.  I am excited for him and his teammates to have an opportunity to finish what they have started.  Nichols is a very good team; Saturday will be a great game."