The Seawolves finished out the first half of the season this weekend in Illinois, splitting a pair of decisions against the Robert Morris Illinois Eagles.
After earning a decisive 4-1 win on Friday, Dec. 7, Stony Brook was unable to hold onto a 2-1 lead in the third period on Saturday, Dec. 8 and fell 3-2 in a shootout.
Junior forward Nick Belger opened the scoring for the Seawolves Friday night, striking on a man advantage late in the first period. Sophomore defenseman Brendan Pepe continued the power play efficiency with about five minutes to go in the second, doubling the Stony Brook lead.
Two more Seawolves found the back of the net in the third to make it 4-0, though a goal from Eagles sophomore forward Jake Nitsche ended junior goalie Richard Shipman’s shutout bid with six minutes to go in the game. Stony Brook’s defense denied Robert Morris any further goals, securing the 4-1 victory to snap a four-game losing streak.
Saturday night’s contest was much closer, with neither team leading by more than a goal at any point. Senior forward Mike Cacciato broke the ice for the Eagles at the 15:38 mark of the first period, but Seawolves senior defenseman Frank Coscia evened the score two minutes later to knot the game up at 1-1 heading into the first intermission.
Belger recorded his team-leading 15th goal of the season midway through the second period to give Stony Brook it’s first and only lead of the night, but Nitsche was able to tie the game at 2-2 in the third, sending it to overtime and eventually a shootout. Robert Morris senior goalie Cole Semchak was able to stop shots from junior forward Devon Palmieri, Coscia, and Belger, and Cacciato beat junior goalie Sean Keating to secure a 3-2 win for the home team.
Stony Brook is now 0-3 in games that go beyond regulation, falling once in overtime against Syracuse and twice in shootouts against Rhode Island and Robert Morris Illinois. The Seawolves own a 9-6-3 record heading into the winter break and sit third in the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League standings.
The Seawolves will return to the ice with a pair of home games on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 19 at 3:30 p.m. against the ESCHL-leading Liberty Flames. All home games are played at The Rinx in Hauppauge, 660 Terry Road.
