CANTON, Mass. - The Curry College men's ice hockey team opened the 2021-22 season in style on Friday night with a 1-0 victory over Stonehill College in the opening round of the Curry College Tournament at the Canton Ice House.

With the victory, Curry advances to 1-0-0 overall on the season and moves on to the championship of the Curry Tournament. The Colonels will face UMass Boston, who came from two goals down to defeat UMass Dartmouth 4-3 in the other semifinal on Friday afternoon.

The contest's only goal came with 7:29 showing on the clock in the third period after both goaltenders stood tall for nearly the length of regulation. On a 3-on-2 rush, graduate student Tarek Paranica (Grand Forks, N.D.) redirected an Alexander Bouchard (Winnipeg, Manitoba) pass past the outstretched pad of Stonehill's John Day for what held up as the game-winning goal. Junior Austin Whelan (Richmond Hill, Ontario) was credited with a secondary assist on the tally.

Day was stellar in the loss for the Skyhawks, making 32 saves to earn the game's first star despite the loss. Curry goaltender Reid Cooper (Corman Park, Saskatchewan) earned the shutout for the hosts, turning aside all 16 shots he faced. 

The championship game between Curry and UMass Boston is slated for a 4 p.m. puck drop on Saturday from the Canton Ice House.

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