The SBU Roller Hockey team is becoming synonymous with winning. When people think of the ice hockey team they think of a perennial powerhouse that brings an edge to the game. But Roller Hockey has been somewhat in the shadow of the ice hockey team in the recent past. The prevailing attitude among some has been to ignore the roller hockey team.
What Stony Brook roller hockey have done this year should not only shine some light on them but should also inject them into the conversation when people talk about Stony Brook athletics. They might now be mentioned along with football, lacrosse, soccer, basketball, and, ice hockey.
The Division I Men’s Roller Hockey team went undefeated this season with an 11-0 record and only played a couple of nail-biters. Facing hard-hitting teams like the Army Black Knights, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Seawolves proved to be a forced to be reckoned with.
The toughest match-up was the Oct. 28 game, where they squeaked by the Boston Terriers 1-0. Stony Brook hadn’t won a game this season by less than two goals, and outscored their first three opponents 27-11.
Leading the way during the regular season was defenseman Jim Tamburino from Hicksville, New York. The 26-year-old led the team in goals scored and overall points. He has 18 goals, 15 assists, and 33 points altogether.
Captain Ryan Keane, 21, from Lynbrook, New York, finished with 23 points, good enough for second on the team. But his leadership was invaluable, providing the spark the team needed during games and showing why Coach Joe Tamburino gave him the captain’s ‘C’.
Assistant Captain Peter Gugliotta, donning the number 99 in honor of the ‘Great One’ Wayne Gretzky, played a heady game and was always in the mix of the action. The 20-year-old from Sayville, New York, scored nine goals from the blue line, tallying 15 points on the season, and leading the team with two game-winning goals. Other contributors to the team were Dan Castellano from Ridge, New York, Matt Douglas from Rosedale, New York, and Tom Cartwright from Coram, New York.
Success in hockey is impossible without a strong and stout defense, and the Seawolves provided plenty of defense throughout the season. No team scored more than six goals against them in a game and they held a team to three goals or less in eight of the 11 games. They posted one shutout in a rare close game.
In the aforementioned game against Boston, sophomore goalie Nick Gullo, from Old Bethpage, New York, played strong between the pipes. He stopped everything the Terriers shot at him. Backup goalie Erik Topalian, from Miller Place, New York, played a tough game despite limited game time.
The Seawolves season was a resounding success, playing games both close and tough. The players were confident and found victory when they played as a team. The team looks to dominate again next season, except maybe some more fans in tow.
