Athletics
Southern Me.
Saint Michael's
U. of New England
Saint Michael's
Assumption
Saint Michael's
Men's Ice Hockey
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March 4, 2009
Men's Ice Hockey Bests SNHU, 4-2; To Host Stonehill For NE-10 Title
Box score: http://www.collegehockeystats.net/0809/boxes/msnhstm1.m04
HOOKSETT, N.H. - The fifth-seeded Saint Michael's College men's ice hockey team (10-15-2) pulled off its second straight playoff road win on Wednesday evening, winning at second-seeded Southern New Hampshire University, 4-2, in the Northeast-10 Conference Semifinals at the Ice Den Arena.
With the win, Saint Michael's advances to the NE-10 Championship, and will host sixth-seeded Stonehill College on Saturday at Cairns Arena in South Burlington, with a time to be announced on Thursday. Stonehill upset top-seeded Saint Anselm College, 7-4, in Wednesday's other semifinal contest.
For Saint Michael's, sophomore Nick Sheehan (Potsdam, N.Y./Cornwall Colts) scored the unassisted game-winning goal with 7:41 left in the third period, snapping a 2-all tie. The Purple Knights led 2-0 after one period on goals by sophomore Matt Rigtrup (Upper Montclair, N.J./Pickering Panthers) and senior Ryan Mero (Peekskill, N.Y./Avon Old Farms).
Southern New Hampshire (9-13-2) answered with a pair of goals less than a minute apart early in the second period, by Doug Boulanger and Bob Bryant. The score remained tied at 2-all for the next 27 minutes, until Sheehan's tally. Freshman Brady Earle (Columbia, Md./The Gunnery School) sealed the win with an empty-net goal with nine seconds to go.
Mero finished with a goal and two assists in the win, while Earle added a goal and an assist. Senior Chris Healey (Salem, N.H./New Hampshire Junior Monarchs) added two assists as Saint Michael's advances to the NE-10 Championship for the second straight season. Classmate Tyler Bilton (Pentiction, British Columbia/Finlandia University) stopped 37 of 39 shots in net for the victory.
For the Penmen, Shane Brooks and Todd Rowley combined to record 26 saves.
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