ANNAPOLIS, MD (Friday, February 08, 2008) – Navy’s ice hockey team scored five consecutive third period goals to break open a tight game and defeat the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC), 8-3, Friday night in the 31^st annual Crabpot Tournament at the McMullen Hockey Arena.

The Midshipmen will meet Towson University for the Crabpot tourney championship Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at McMullen.  Towson’s Tigers defeated the University of Maryland in Friday afternoon’s opening game, 7-4, on the strength of a three goal hat trick from freshman Andrew Higgins of Centreville, MD.

On Friday night, Navy and UMBC were deadlocked at 1-1 after the first period, and the Mids enjoyed a slim 3-1 margin after 40 minutes of play. 

But after UMBC’s Retrievers had trimmed Navy’s lead to 3-2 early in the third period, the Midshipmen erupted for five unanswered goals in just under 10 minutes, including a pair from junior Charlie Daniel, to take a commanding 8-2 lead and seal the victory.

Sophomore Navy goaltender Eric Anderson stopped 25 of the 28 UMBC shots he faced, while the Retrievers’ P.J. Carnack recorded 61 saves on 69 Navy shots.  The Mids outshot the Retrievers 24-6 in the second period and 34-13 in the third stanza, as UMBC appeared to tire as the game wore on. 

In the opener Friday afternoon, Maryland jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead and held a 3-1 advantage midway through the second period before Towson rallied behind goals from sophomore Kevin Baum and Higgins.  After Maryland regained the lead 4-3, the Tigers scored the game’s final four goals (the last an empty netter) to earn a berth in the Crabpot Tournament championship game.

Maryland will meet UMBC in the consolation game at 4 p.m. prior to the Navy-Towson clash at 7:30 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY
UMBC             1          0          2          -           3
NAVY             1          2          5          -           8

First Period
N – Martin 14 (Culliton, Gross) 6:43
U – Freishat (Harrison, Harcharik) 17:17

Second Period
N - Shields 3 (Culliton, Martin) 10:14 (pp)
N – Westerman 5 (Swezey, Shields) 19:54 (pp)

Third Period

U – Fetscher (Post, Groves) 4:08
N – Stoner 4 (Shields, Swezey) 4:39 (pp)
N – Daniel 3 (Swezey, Gross) 6:03
N – Swezey 18 (Westerman, Heitman) 8:16
N – Daniel 4 (Wallis, Gross) 11:25
N – Heitman 4 (Kinkade, Gross) 14:15
U – Fetscher (Post, Freishat) 16:46 (pp)

SAVES
Carmack (UMBC)       10        22        29        -           61
Anderson (NAVY)       8         6          11        -           25

SHOTS
UMBC                         9          6          13        -           28
NAVY                         11        24        34        -           69