KINGSTON, RI (Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007) – Navy’s ice hockey team played well in its first game in a new league, but couldn’t overcome a three-goal third period deficit and fell to the University of Rhode Island, 5-3, Saturday night at the Brad Boss Arena.

With the loss, the Midshipmen dropped to 3-1 overall this season and 0-1 in the newly formed Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (ESCHL), while Rhode Island’s Rams improved their win-loss record to 3-0 (1-0).

The two teams meet again tomorrow (Sunday) at 2 p.m., again at the Brad Boss Arena. Tomorrow’s game will not be broadcast over the Teamline network.

URI broke out on top early Saturday night with a Cory Pinheiro power play goal just 1:57 into the first period.  Navy bounced back a short time later to even the score at 1-1 with an even strength tally from junior Jeff Martin at 5:19, the lone assist credited to classmate Nolan Anliker.

The Rams regained their one-goal margin midway through the opening period with a goal off the stick of Anthony Rowella at 10:05.

URI stretched its lead to 4-1 before the halfway mark of the second stanza, thanks to a power play tally from Devin Sheehan at 5:02 and an even strength goal by Cory Manley at 8:04.

The Midshipmen cut their deficit to 4-2 before the period ended on a beautiful shorthanded goal from senior Nick Schwob, assisted by Anliker, at 14:35.

The hometown Rams took a 5-2 lead early in the third period, thanks to a Ben Herring tally just 1:08 after the opening face-off.  Navy’s Schwob recorded his second goal of the night a short time later, at 6:53, to pull the Blue-and-Gold within two, 5-3.  Anliker and junior defenseman Matt Swezey assisted on Schwob’s second tally.

Unfortunately, the Mids were unable to score again over the game’s final 13 minutes and dropped their first game of the young season.

Navy netminder Sophomore Eric Anderson stopped 36 of the 41 URI shots he faced, while his counterpart in the Ram cage, Ray Martin, had 26 saves on 29 shots.

After facing URI tomorrow, the Midshipmen will be back home in Annapolis next weekend, hosting a pair of games in the new McMullen Hockey Arena.  Navy hosts Rutgers next Saturday (Oct. 13) at 7:30 p.m. and Towson University next Sunday (Oct. 14) at 1:05 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

NAVY        1    1    1    -    3
URI        2    2    1    -    5

First Period
URI – Pihheiro (Manley, Herring) 1:57 PP
N – Martin (Anliker) 5:19
URI – Rowella (Gauthier, Berard) 10:05

Second Period
URI – Sheehan (unassisted) 5:02 PP
URI – Manley (Ducharme) 8:04
N – Schwob (Anliker) SH

Third Period
URI – Herring (Pinheiro) 1:08
N – Schwob (Anliker, Swezey) 6:53