It wasn’t a nail-biter between #18 Stony Brook hockey team (4-2) and Penn State Berks, as the Seawolves crushed the Blue Lions, 14-1 at the Rinx Arena in Hauppauge, N.Y., on Saturday evening.
“I’m proud of our effort tonight,” Stony Brook head coach Chris Garofalo said. “I’m proud of how we rebounded from last week. We have some big games ahead of us in Delaware, and we’re looking forward to them.”
Stony Brook took the time before the game to honor the memory of former captain Christopher Panatier, who passed away in the attacks on Sept. 11th. Panatier’s number nine was retired in the ceremony, and the Seawolves wore throwback Stony Brook Patriots jerseys in honor of the jerseys worn by the team when Panatier was captain. Stony Brook’s mascot was the Patriot before it became the Seawolf.
The 13-goal victory was the widest margin of victory for Stony Brook all season, and the team is currently 3-0 at home this year.
Daniel Cassano (Deer Park, N.Y.) and Wesley Hawkins (Quarryville, Pa.) were the driving force behind the Stony Brook juggernaut. Both recorded a hat-trick for their efforts.
But the Seawolves didn’t get off to a hot start, and they were held scoreless for most of the first half of the first period.
Then Cassano deposited his first goal of the game with an assist from Bryan Elfant (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) with 12:53 to go in the period.
Hawkins joined the party after assists from John Jennings (Vero Beach, Fla.) and Phil Borner (Woodbridge, Va.) and scored Stony Brook’s second goal of the game and the last of the period. The Seawolves out-shot the Blue Lions 20-6 for the period.
Seven was Stony Brook’s lucky number in the second period: seven skaters scored seven goals. Cassano and Hawkins each recorded their second goal, and Ian Mauriello (Monroe, N.Y.), Sean Collins (Port Jeff Station, N.Y.), Josh Brooks (Cold Spring, N.Y.) and Mike Cacciotti (Staten Island, N.Y.) also added goals of their own. Chris Ryan (Flushing, N.Y.) also scored a goal short-handed on a well-executed two-on-one rush.
Ryan was later ejected from the game. He and a Blue Lion player were exchanging words and eventually shoves, and it appeared that Ryan inadvertently cross-checked with his stick the Penn State Berks player across the neck. The visiting player remained down on the ice for several moments as the training staff attended to him.
The third period wasn’t much better for the Blue Lions. Hawkins and Cassano completed their hat-tricks. Collins, Elfant and Jennings scored as well.
In the midst of this offensive explosion, Stony Brook goaltender Josh Roarke (Massapequa, N.Y.) allowed only one goal.
He blocked 18 of 19 shots on goal while Stony Brook recorded 59 shots on goal.
Stony Brook will next venture to Delaware to play them on Friday and Saturday, and then they will proceed to take on Lehigh on Sunday.
The next home game will be Saturday, Oct. 30 against the Towson University Tigers.
That game is followed by another home game on Sunday, Oct. 31 against the University of Scranton Royals.
