Seahawks overtake Jumbos 3-2; Mulera earns all-tournament honors

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-- Following a scoreless first period the Salve Regina University men's ice hockey team bested the Tufts Jumbos 3-2 in the consolation round of the Skidmore Thanksgiving Invitational on Sunday. 

Senior captain Johnny Mulera was named to the all-tournament team along with Jumbo's Max Resnick. The remainder of the team will be named following the Skidmore versus SUNY Brockport championship round. Mulera made the team's second goal of the evening on the power play during period two. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Salve Regina 3, Tufts 2
Records: Salve Regina (9-2-0,6-0-0 CCC), Tufts (0-4-1,0-2-0 NESCAC)
All-Time Series: The last meeting of the Jumbos and Seahawks was a 5-4 Salve Regina loss in 2006. After today's finish the Seahawks are 2-4 all-time against the Jumbos. 

BREAKDOWN: 

• Period I: Cayden Bailey and Jumbos' Peyton Durand began the day in net. Damon Zimmer and Max Resnick took the opening faceoff with Tufts gaining possession. Just over a minute into the contest the Seahawks found themselves on the power play when the Jumbos were called for holding. The Seahawks got in four shots; however the penalty came to an end with no one on the board yet. The game reached ten minutes in and still no one had scored. 13:36 down, Salve Regina went on the penalty kill for a holding infraction. The Tufts power play was cut short however, because the team was called for too many men on the ice, resulting in four on four action. No less than 37 seconds after the teams returned to even strength, the Jumbos had the advantage yet again due to a boarding infraction called on the Seahawks. With five minutes left in the period still no scoring had occurred. The first 20 minutes ended 0-0. The Seahawks took 23 shots total with ten shots on goal, won 14 faceoffs and served four penalty minutes. The Jumbos entered the second period with 11 shots on goal (14 total), won 11 faceoffs and served four minutes on two infractions. 
• Period II: The starting faceoff was won by the Jumbos and Tufts quickly got a shot in. The Seahawks responded with two shots of their own and 2:15 into the period Logan Calder achieved a Seahawk goal (from Hoon Kim and Bradey Farrell), making the score 1-0. Marek Pechr of the Jumbos was sent to the sin bin 4:17 into the period for hooking which gave the Seahawks a power play opportunity. Johnny Mulera took advantage of the chance and scored a power play goal with 5:23 down (Aidan Coupe and Joel Shoemaker). The two consecutive Seahawk goals brought the score to 2-0. At 9:59 down Salve Regina was called for hooking. Although the Seahawks charged forward the team couldn't stop the Jumbos and Cole Dubicki on the penalty kill. Just 42 seconds after the penalty kill started the Jumbos got themselves on the board and the game became a one-point match. The clock ran out with the Seahawks still leading by one point entering the final 20 minutes in regulation. 
• Period III: With 30 seconds down the Jumbos made haste to tie it up and Max Resnick did just that, bring the score to 2-2. At 15:48 Mulera almost found the net yet again, but Tufts goalie Durand leaped out of the net to make the save. At 8:42 into the period Tufts was sent to the penalty box for two minutes on a holding infraction. The Seahawks went on the power play hoping to capitalize on the five on four affair. It was Matthew Fawcett who scored his nineth goal of the season at 10:06, setting the Seahawks up for a win. Johnny Mulera and Joel Shoemaker assisted Fawcett for the power play goal. Salve Regina gained the 3-2 advantage. The Jumbos had an opportunity for a critical power play goal, when Salve Regina was called for hooking at 14:38. Salve Regina remained strong and did not allow any Jumbo action during their penalty kill. At 19:29 Tufts pulled their goalie, but the Seahawk defenders kept the puck out of their net for a 3-2 finish. 

NOTEWORTHY:

• Over the course of the game Salve Regina took 75 shots and Tufts took 50 shots. Of their total shots, Salve Regina had 42 shots on goal and Tufts had 29 shots on goal. 
• The Jumbos collectively blocked 15 shots and the Seahawks blocked 11 Tufts shots. 
• One of Tuft's goals came on the power play and two of the three Salve Regina goals resulted from power plays. 
• The Seahawks served eight minutes on four infractions and the Jumbos served 12 minutes on six infractions. 
• Cayden Bailey stood between the posts for the full 60 minutes, making 27 saves. 
• Jumbos' Peyton Durand left the net for 1:31 and made 39 saves. 

ON THE HORIZON: 

Men's ice hockey takes on No.12 Endicott College on Friday, December 1 at 7 p.m. in Beverly, Massachusetts. The Gulls won the CCC championships in 2022 and are 5-2-1 this season.