Seahawks disrupt top seed Colonels 7-2, advance to CCC finals

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CANTON, Mass. (Saturday, February 24, 2024)-- Men's ice hockey scored the first goal of the day against top CCC seed Curry College and did not look back. The Seahawks defeated the Colonels 7-2 and will advance to the final round of the CCC postseason tournament on Saturday, March 2. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Salve Regina 7, Curry 2
Records: Salve Regina (17-8-2), Curry (20-5-1)
All-Time Series: Salve Regina is 12-20-3 against Curry since the 2007-08 season. Heading into the today's game the Seahawks had a 0-3 record against the Colonels this year.

BREAKDOWN: 

• PERIOD I: Hoon Kim (from Aidan Coupe) got the day going just under five minutes into the game. However, Curry provided a countermove less than 20 seconds later, making it a 1-1 tie. Jonathan Hammel, (from Garrett Szeremley and Logan Calder) scored 25 seconds after the Curry goal. The action slowed down for the next 12 minutes with the Seahawks sitting ahead by just one point. Colonel's Matt Connor tied it at 2-2 with 90 seconds remaining in the first period. However, Salve Regina was determined to enter the first intermission with a lead. Damon Zimmer (from Seth Benson) set Salve Regina ahead 3-2 with 40 seconds remaining in the first period. 
• PERIOD II: At 3:12 down in the period Karsten Kruska received a long pass from Josh Kroon and in a breakaway maneuver, Kruska made a backhand shot to the right of Curry's goalie for a 4-2 game. The action quieted down following Kruska's early success. After 40 minutes of play the Colonels outshot the Seahawks 28-18. Curry won 31 to Salve Regina's 17 faceoffs. 
• PERIOD III: With 4:52 down the Seahawks sent a skater to the box for tripping, giving the Colonels a power play opportunity and putting the Seahawks on the penalty kill. What could have changed the tides for the Colonels quickly became a Seahawk success. Immediately off a faceoff in the Colonel attack zone Walter Bauman got possession and broke away. With no Curry defenders to block him, Bauman netted the Seahawks fifth goal of the encounter just in front of the crease. Just after both teams returned to even strength Johnny Mulera poked the puck free from Curry and sent it to Parker Mabbett. Mabbett sent it flying on a one timer from the high slot and the puck sailed in for a 6-2 game. Riding high off the team's continued success, Seth Benson snuck the puck down the boards opposite the benches and skated directly in front of Curry's crease, backhanding yet another Seahawk goal. 

NOTEWORTHY:

• Last year Salve Regina fell 5-4 to Endicott College in the semifinal round of the CCC tournament. 
• The last time Salve Regina progressed to the CCC championship was in the 2018-19 season. The Seahawks fell 6-2 to the University of New England. 

ON THE HORIZON: 

On Saturday, March 2, Salve Regina will compete in the CCC finals.