SOUTHPOINTE, PA (Sunday, November 5, 2006)
-- Navy's ice hockey team came
all the way back from a 3-1 deficit, only to fall 4-3 to Washington &
Jefferson in a closely contested non-league game Sunday afternoon at the
ICOPLEX facility in Southpointe, PA.
With the loss, the Mids fell to 7-2-1 overall this season. They are idle
until next weekend, when they travel to Rhode Island for a pair of key
Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association games with the University of Rhode
Island.
Senior captain Jay Alspach put Navy ahead early with a power play tally at
the 10:47 mark of the first period, assisted by classmate Kevin Krmpotich.
Washingtoin & Jefferson tied the score at 1-1 with its own power play goal
before the period ended, from Dave Bean, at 14:25.
Washington & Jefferson took a two goal lead early in the second stanza with
a power play goal from Craig Frey at 3:25, and another tally by Bob Rose at
6:08 while each team had a man in the penalty box.
But the Midshipmen battled back, pulling within 3-2 with a power play goal
from Alspach at 17:36, assisted by Jim Doherty and Matt Swezey.
Navy knotted the score at 3-3 early in the third period when senior Patrick
Sullivan stole the puck while the Mids were killing a penalty and scored on
a breakaway at the 7:21 mark.
For the second consecutive game, Navy spent most of the third period in the
penalty box. Referee Tom Farmerie whistled the Mids for 34 third period
penalty minutes, including two 10-minute misconducts. Washington &
Jefferson took advantage of the penalties to score a power play goal at
9:36, off the stick of Jim Pasquine, to give the homestanding Presidents a
4-3 lead.
The Midshipmen battled valiantly to get the equalizer over the game's final
10 minutes, but could not mount much offense with so many players spending
time in the penalty box.
Navy netminder Eric Anderson finished the game with 34 saves, while W&J's
Andrew Torchia also made 34 stops. The Mids were whistled for a total of 46
penalty minutes in the game, compared to just 26 for the Presidents.