Coming off of a four game losing streak, Stony Brook’s ice hockey team split its two-game homestand against the University of Rhode Island on Friday and Saturday, winning the first game 3-1 and losing the second game 4-3.

In the first game, Rhode Island’s Mike Radziszewski scored off a deflection 4:30 into the first period.

With 2:59 left in the period, Stony Brook’s Nick Deresky tied the game after receiving a pass in the high slot from Mike Cacciotti.

Daniel Cassano scored the go-ahead goal on a powerplay with only 5:03 left in the third period to give Stony Brook the lead.

With 18 seconds left, Cassano scored an empty-net goal to seal the win.

“You can see when Danny’s on the ice; he makes things happen,” Garafalo said. “I knew last year when he got injured, it crippled us, a guy like Danny brings much to the table.”

The second game would feature most of the scoring done early in the first period.

Rhode Island jumped out to a 2-0 lead within the first four minutes with goals from Jon Augustine and Nicholas Paiva.

Stony Brook would come back and tie the game later in the period with goals from Cacciotti and Deresky.

However, Rhode Island took back the lead after a shot from Brett Glasheen was deflected into the net.

With only 1:21 left in the period, Stony Brook was penalized for a trip from George Nicholes,  and a bench minor after it was judged by the official that a Stony Brook player left the penalty box before his penalty expired.

Rhode Island’s Justin Bishop scored on the ensuing 5-on-3 powerplay to make it 4-2.

“I thought it was pathetic, the ref should never call a penalty like that,” Garafalo said. “I think he was a little too out of his league there, it was too fast for him.”

Bishop’s goal would prove to be the difference. Stony Brook’s Matt Miano made it 4-3 with 5:54 left in the third period after his point shot was deflected by a Rhode Island player, but the Seawolves were unable to score the tying goal.

“I feel we played too individualistic,” Garafalo said. “Especially at desperate times, you want to do everything yourself, but you’ve got to keep to the system, five men up the ice, five men down the ice.”

With the team at an 8-6 record so far this season, head coach Chris Garafalo feels that the team needs to perform better to live up to its championship aspirations.

“Its special teams, our powerplay has got to get better,” Garafalo said. “I’m going to move some guys around, we’re such a good team that I could put anyone into the powerplay pretty much, it’s just about execution.”

“Frankly, I want guys that want to be here,” Garafalo said. “If a guy doesn’t want to be here, then let him go, see ya, because he isn’t going to give the effort you want.”