Statesmen skate past Seahawks on opening night

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. - Freshman Ryan Michel (Camillus, N.Y.) led all players with three points, including the game-winning goal, to help lead the Hobart College men's ice hockey team to a 5-1 victory over Salve Regina during the Seahawks' season opener at the Portsmouth Abbey Ice Rink on Saturday night. The Seahawks begin the year 0-1-0 with the loss, while the Statesmen improve to 2-1-0 overall.

Senior Henry DeSimone (Burlington, Mass.) scored the lone goal for the Seahawks, while freshman John Scorcia (Tampa, Fla.) and junior Jacob Hutt (Menlo Park, Calif.) each collected an assist in the loss. Sophomore goaltender Mike McDonald (Whitby, Ontario) had a strong showing in net for Salve Regina, making 36 saves in just 38:58 between the pipes while allowing just one goal.

Michel paced the Statesmen with three points on a goal and two assists, while junior Frank Salituro (Vaughan, Ontario) added a pair of scores for the visitors. Senior Greg Ciciola (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) also played well, contributing both a goal and an assist in the win, while junior Martin Ausserhofer (Brunico, Italy) made 22 saves to earn his first victory of the season in net for Hobart.

The game remained scoreless until the final 3:08 of the opening period when the Statesmen erupted for three quick scores. Ciciola got things started with an unnassisted tally at 16:52, and was followed by an even-strength score by Michel at 18:15 and a powerplay goal by Salituro with just 56 seconds remaining in the opening frame, sending the visitors into the break holding a 3-0 advantage.

Salve Regina actually oushot the Statesmen by an 11-8 margin during the first period, but went 0-for-3 on powerplay opportunites, while Hobart converted 1-of-2 man-up chances.

The Statesmen extended their lead to 4-0 just 1:02 into the second period, as Michel and junior Harry Radovich (Rumson, N.J.) set up Salituro for his second powerplay goal of the game.

The Seahawks jumped on the scoreboard at the 11:11 mark of the second stanza when Scorcia and Hut assisted DeSimione for an even-strength goal to cut the Hobart lead to 4-1.

McDonald did some impressive work in goal for the Seahawks during the period, making 18 saves to keep the Hobart lead to 4-1 heading into the third period.

The Statesmen capped the scoring with the lone third period goal, as freshman Peter Quigley (Poughquag, N.Y.) scored off a feed from Corcoran to seal the 5-1 victory for the visitors.

Hobart will be back in action on Friday when they host Neumann at 7 p.m., while the Seahawks return to the ice on Tuesday, welcoming Franklin Pierce to the Portsmouth Abbey Ice Rink for a 7 p.m. contest.