Garnet Hockey Report: Fast start carries Dutchmen to 5-1 win

Box Score

by Ryan Fay

Second-ranked Union scored three early goals and went on to defeat ninth-ranked St. Cloud, 5-1, in front of a standing-room only crowd of 2,294 Friday at Messa Rink.

With the win, the Dutchmen (5-0) extended their school-record winning streak to 17 games, and their home winning streak to 15 games. Both streaks date back to last season.

The Dutchmen wasted little time going in front of the Huskies. Michael Pontrarelli knocked in a loose rebound on the power-play at 1:51 of the first period to give the Dutchmen a 1-0 lead.

Just over two minutes later, Sebastien Gingras pushed the lead 2-0. Huskies goalie Charlie Lindgren stopped Max Novak's shot, but Gingras came flying in unseen from the right point and sent the puck into the back of the net.

“When I saw ‘Novs’ come out of the net, I just figured that a rebound could come out in the slot,” Gingras said. “The guy that was covering me wasn’t looking behind his shoulder, so that allowed me to sneak behind him. I just got lucky. The bounce was perfect, and I was able to bury that one.”

The Dutchmen chased Lindgren from the game at 8:57 after Mark Bennett gave Union a 3-0 lead. Bennett was behind the goal line when he put the puck on net. It bounced off Lindgren's pad and in, prompting Huskies head coach Bob Motzko to bring in Rasmus Reijola.

“Some guys might find it hard to believe, but I’ve actually done it before,” Bennett said. “Just taking it wide, and the goalie’s expecting me to throw it back to the guy driving the far post and trying to put it on net and hope for, worst-case scenario, a rebound. I guess he was cheating off his post a little bit and he got caught in between. I was just happy to see it go in.”

Sam Coatta lengthened Union's lead to 4-0 at 6:53 of the third after burying a rebound following a wraparound try by Bennett. Novak, playing in his first game following a five-game suspension for violating team rules, scored a power-play goal at 16:55 that extended Union's cushion to 5-0.

Ben Storm spoiled Colin Stevens' shutout bid with 4.5 seconds left in the game with a slapshot from the point. Stevens finished with 35 saves, including three on breakaways.

He was more focused on getting the win than losing the shutout, which would have been his second of the season. He blanked Maine, 3-0, last Friday.

“I’m not going to say it’s not frustrating. It’s a little frustrating,” said Stevens. “But at the end of the day, all that matters is we got the win. It would be pretty selfish of me to be sitting here complaining that I didn’t get the shutout. I’ll take the win.”

Union head coach Rick Bennett didn't shake off the goal as easily.

"Did we think of our goalie there on the last shift?" Bennett asked. "Our goaltender has a chance to do something special, but we weren't bearing down in the areas that we need to bare down in."

Bennett, who will have a video session with the team this morning, was particularly displeased with the Dutchmen's neutral-zone play.

"We’ve got to shore up a lot neutral-zone turnovers," he said. "We’re just handing them transitional opportunities, and those turnovers are making our net."

When Union faces off with St. Cloud (1-1) again tonight at 7, Bennett said the Dutchmen need to come with a better effort.

"If we play that way [tonight], that team is going to hammer us, plain and simple."

End notes... Mike Vecchione kept his point streak alive with an assist on Coatta's goal; he now has at least a point in all five games this season... Jeff Taylor and Roman Ammirato each had two assists... after Lindgren was yanked for allowing three goals on nine shots, Reijola came in and stopped 16-of-18 the rest of the way.

POSTGAME VIDEO