Seahawks rally from two-goal deficit to stun Skyhawks, 5-4

FOXBORO, Mass. - Stonehill College had a two-goal lead wiped out in the third period as it dropped a 5-4 stunner to Salve Regina University in non-conference men's ice hockey action Tuesday night at home.

Freshman Bill Carey (Weymouth, Mass./Catholic Memorial), sophomore J.J. Sabin (Milton, Mass./Milton), and junior Patrick Greene (Weymouth, Mass./Catholic Memorial) each notched a goal and an assist to lead Stonehill, while sophomore Sean McNeil (Canton, Mass./Canton) scored once and senior Angelo Todesca (Westwood, Mass./Catholic Memorial) added a pair of assists. The Seahawks rallied for the win behind four points from senior Brett Pimental (East Falmouth, Mass./Trinity Pawling), a pair of goals from senior Bryan Russell (Essex Junction, Vt./Tilton School), and the game-winner from senior Joe Colaianni (Monroe, N.Y./Hotchkiss School).

The Skyhawks struck first when Greene brought an early possession down the left side and centered the puck to Carey alone in the middle, who put it away for a 1-0 lead after 41 seconds. Hutt came back with an unassisted goal at 9:29 to tie it, and Russell added his first of the night in the opening seconds of the second period to put Salve Regina ahead 2-1.

Sabin and the Stonehill defense pushed back to reclaim momentum over the second period. After taking a hard cross-check from a Seahawk forward in the corner, Sabin responded with the game-tying goal on the ensuing power play, assisted by Carey and Todesca. He went on to set up the Skyhawks' third of the night at 19:56 of the second period, when McNeil beat Salve Regina goaltender Ernest Foss (Rochester, N.H./Tilton School) with a shorthanded tally.

With Stonehill still on the penalty kill early in the third period, Greene pushed the lead to 4-2 on an unassisted strike after bringing the puck down the ice by himself and getting past Foss on the backhand. Midway through the period, though, Salve Regina cut its deficit to one on Russell's second of the night from Pimental and senior Eric Spalt (Barnstable, Mass./Barnstable), sparking its final three-goal rally. Pimental converted the Seahawks' next power play opportunity at 11:12 with Carey in the box for charging, knotting the game at 4-4, and he and Spalt set up Colaianni for the game-winner at 15:47 with Salve Regina shorthanded.

Senior goaltender Derek Chapdelaine (Granby, Mass./Springfield Cathedral) finished the night with 28 saves for Stonehill. Foss earned the decision in net for the Seahawks with 24 stops.

Stonehill (4-14-1, 2-4-1 NE-10) returns to Foxboro Sports Center to play the next three games at home, beginning with a Northeast-10 Conference matchup against Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday at 4:45 p.m. Salve Regina (2-16-1, 1-8 ECAC Northeast) next hosts Western New England College tomorrow at 8:15 p.m.

(Courtesy of Stonehill sports information)