MILTON, Mass.- In an ECAC Northeast Conference Quarterfinal match-up in men's ice hockey action on Saturday evening in Milton, Mass, third-seeded Curry College lost to sixth-seed Johnson & Wales, 6-4. With the win, the Wildcats improved to 10-15-1 overall and advance to the semi-final game. The Colonels fell to 11-11-4 overall and end their season.
Johnson & Wales took a demanding 3-0 lead in the first period before Curry cut the deficit to 3-1 on a 5-3 man-up situation. The Wildcats’ junior Ian DePasquale (Cincinnati, Ohio) earned a hat trick netting all three goals. His first came on a power-play just 2:51 into the frame. Freshman Dominic Puntillo (Amherst, N.Y.) was called for hooking. Johnson & Wales’ senior, Danny Kauffman (Scotch Plains, N.J.) won the face off in Curry’s defensive zone. Kauffman sent a pass to senior Jason Pietrasiak (Shrewsbury, Mass.) who saw an open DePasquale in front of net. 4:21 minutes later DePasqaule tallied his second. He took a slap shot from the point that sailed over the shoulder of Curry’s senior netminder Joe Dawson (Woodbury, Minn.). Pietrasiak was credited with his second assist on the night and senior Ryan Kelly (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) earned his first. Johnson & Wales final goal of the period came at the 15:51 mark. DePasquale one-timed the puck past Dawson off assists from senior Erick Vos (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and sophomore Jason Healey (Goshen, N.Y.). The Colonels finally got on the board on the 5-3 man-up situation with just over a minute left to play. Freshman Brandon Gilmore (Quincy, Mass.) maneuvered the puck around the Wildcats’ senior goaltender Matt Cooper (Perrysburg, Ohio). Gilmore was assisted by senior Ian DeLong (Kutztown, Pa.) and junior Brad Devereaux (Duxbury, Mass.). Johnson & Wales held a slight advantage in shots with 13-9.
The Wildcats started the second with their fourth goal on the night just 4:19 minutes in. Freshman Josh Obregon (Omaha, Neb.) scored from the blueline off a pass from teammate, freshman Cody Sarmiento (Sarasota, Fla.). Curry netted the last two goals of the period to come within one of Johnson & Wales, to head into the final 20 minutes, down just 4-3. At the 15:18 mark, the Colonels took advantage of another power-play situation. Devereaux scored with only 13 seconds left on the Wildcats penalty. Gilmore sent the puck from the right hand side of the ice and Devereaux tapped it in past Cooper. Just over two minutes later, DeLong cut Johnson & Wales lead to one after he tallied his first on the night. Freshmen Shane Harrington (Mansfield, Mass.) and Ryan Gay (Nesconset, N.Y.) each had the assists. Curry held the advantage in shots, 15-8.
The Wildcats once again increased their lead by netting the first goal of the final frame. Obregon scored his second of the game on a 4v3. Devereaux was called for boarding and Johnson & Wales was able to break through the Colonel penalty kill. Sophomore Alex Porrier (Rutland, Vt.) had the sole assist. Curry answered back again with their third power-play goal of the game. Devereaux scored his second on the night and finished with a season high three points on two goals and one assist. DeLong and Gilmore were credited with the assists and also finished with three points apiece. The Colonels fought hard the remainder of the game trying to tie the score at five and send the teams into overtime. Strong play between the pipes from Cooper however, held Curry to just four goals. Cooper came up with 21 saves alone in the third. Johnson & Wales sealed the win 2:42 left to play when Kaufman fired a shot into the back of the net for the 6-4 victory. Junior Justin Decowski (Hamilton, N.J.) earned the assist.
Curry outshot Johnson & Wales 46-29. The Colonels went 3 for 9 on power-plays, while the Wildcats went 2 for 9.
Curry's Dawson made 23 saves in goal taking the loss. Cooper made 42 saves for the win.
