Geary tallies nine seconds into overtime, lifts Purple Knights at SMC Holiday Classic
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College and Wesleyan University men's ice hockey teams both earned dramatic one-goal victories during the opening day of the seventh annual Saint Michael's Holiday Classic on Friday at Cairns Arena.
Junior Josh Geary (Wellesley, Mass./Phillips Andover Academy) scored nine seconds into overtime to give the Purple Knights a 5-4 win over Salve Regina University, while sophomore Keith Buehler (Skaneateles, N.Y./Proctor Academy) tallied with 38 ticks remaining to lift Wesleyan University past Becker College, 3-2.
Saint Michael's moved to 2-6-1, as Geary, senior Brady Earle (Columbia, Md./The Gunnery) and junior Michael Jangro (Reading, Mass./Valley Jr. Warriors) each had a goal and an assist. Junior goalie Mike Dizgun (Kirkland, Quebec/OCN Blizzard) had 34 stops, while classmates Justin Castagna (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Angeles Kings) and Petr Soustal (Unicov, Czech Republic/Gymnazium Unicov) also scored.
Jangro's tally put the Purple Knights ahead by a 4-2 count at 9:20 of the second period prior to Salve Regina rallying to tie the game, as junior Jacob Hutt (Menlo Park, Calif./Curry) completed his hat trick at 15:50 of the third period. Freshman John Scorcia (Hudson, Fla./Motor City) also scored, and junior Mike McDonald (Whitby, Ontario/Lake Forest) turned aside 25 shots, as the Seahawks fell to 3-9.
Wesleyan sophomore Nik Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Mass./Proctor Academy) scored and dished out an assist on Buehler's winner, while junior John Guay (North Scituate, R.I./Salisbury School) netted a first-period marker that gave the Cardinals a 2-0 edge. Classmate Matt Hadge (Canton, Mass./Bridgewater Bandits) finished with 29 saves as Wesleyan improved to 6-3.
The Hawks, who are now 3-8, received goals 1:49 apart early in the second period from junior Branden Parkhouse (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Helena Jr. Bighorns) and sophomore Dan Kane (Staten Island, N.Y./Boston Bulldogs). Sophomore Shaun Millerick (Hampton, N.H./Berwick Academy) recorded 48 saves, nearly fending off Wesleyan's 51-31 advantage in shots.
The seventh annual SMC Holiday Classic concludes tomorrow with two more games, as Salve Regina and Wesleyan square off at 1 p.m. prior to Saint Michael's facing Becker at 4 p.m. The team champion, most valuable player and five-member all-tournament team will be announced following the completion of the Classic.
