The Ramapo ice hockey team fell 6-3 on the road against Fordham University on Sunday, giving the Roadrunners a record of 2-4 on the season and Fordham a record of 5-5. Ramapo has been caught in a losing streak four games long and counting.
Ramapo took a one-goal lead midway through the first period as senior Trent Shanley was able to put the puck through the net for his fifth goal of the season, off assists from captain Eddie Dahdah and senior Daniel Klutkoski. Shanley’s goal would end up being the only score for either team in the first period.
In the second period, Fordham stepped on the gas pedal and never looked back, as the Rams scored five unanswered goals in the span of six minutes. Trey Leo scored off an assist from Carmine Pittelli in the 10th minute of the period. In the 12th minute, the Rams scored twice courtesy of Owen Goulette and Declan Pierce, with Pittelli, Goulette and Eamon Croucher recording assists. Leo scored again in the 15th minute off assists from Anthony Demario and Aidan Graham. Robert Rotondo Jr. added Fordham’s fifth goal off assists from Sean Hoover and Bryce Vitale.
Ramapo finally found its way back into the scoring column in the final minute of the second period, as Dahdah scored his fifth goal of the year off assists from Shanley and Klutkoski, cutting the Roadrunner deficit to three goals.
In the third period, Ramapo’s Thomas Moskal was able to bring the Roadrunners within two, as he shot one through the net off an assist from senior Shane Lovell. With one minute to play, Ramapo pulled goalie Paul Fiorello to add a one-man advantage, but Graham was able to score an empty netter to seal Fordham’s victory.
Fiorello was given his first start of the season, giving starter Denis McGarry a well-deserved rest after starting the team’s first five games, including a back-to-back last weekend. Fiorello allowed five goals on 28 shot attempts, good for a .821 save percentage.
Despite the three-goal loss, Ramapo did manage to outshoot Fordham 37-28, showing the team is sticking to their blue-collar mentality the coaches have been preaching. Ramapo also tallied nine total penalty minutes, though they were able to stay perfect on the penalty kill, not allowing a single power play goal. The Roadrunners were also awarded four power play opportunities, though they were never able to capitalize on any of them.
Ramapo has also been the victim of a very road-heavy schedule through their first six games, but their schedule lightens up in November with three of the team’s next four upcoming games at home. The Roadrunners’ next game will be an exciting one, as they face Farmingdale State College at the Ice Vault Arena on Sunday, Nov. 6 in Wayne. The Roadrunners fell to Farmingdale 3-2 last weekend, as well as losing to them in last year’s Emperor’s Cup Final. The game will be available to stream via the team’s YouTube channel.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Photo by William Jackson.
