It was a tough weekend for the Ramapo ice hockey team, dropping games to Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) in overtime and Farmingdale State College (FDS) in regulation. After the losses, the Roadrunners are 5-4-2 on the season, and sit in third place in the Empire Conference.
Beginning with Saturday night’s loss to MMA, it was a tightly contested match that saw ample opportunities for the Roadrunners to walk away with a victory. The match was also Ramapo’s annual game against MMA on Veterans Day, where the team takes the opportunity to thank current and former United States Armed Forces members.
The game opened with a goal from MMA’s Teagen Pratt, assisted by forward Nick Souretis. With eight minutes remaining in the first period, the Roadrunners fired back with a goal from senior Anthony Fizer, assisted by defenseman Michael Piccinich and forward Luca Carnemolla.
In the second period, the same scoring pattern occurred when MMA’s Aidan Weir scored his fifth goal of the season on a power play opportunity of assists from Ryan Kane and Kyle Souza. Four minutes later, Fizer fired back again with his second goal of the game, off an assist from senior forward Thomas Moskal.
The third period was where Ramapo was able to take their first lead of the game, as team captain Rory Maurer scored just 15 seconds into action off an assist from first year forward Jacob Hepburn. However, the Roadrunners would then give away two consecutive goals to MMA despite being short-handed. The first uneven strength goal came unassisted from Kane, and the second off the stick of Connor Durant, assisted by James Driscoll.
With three minutes remaining in regulation, Fizer secured a hat trick, scoring his third goal of the game off an assist from senior Alex Cohen, sending the game to overtime. With both teams just one minute away from ending the game in a draw, Pratt scored the game-winner for MMA on the only shot attempt from either side for the entire period, assisted by Souza.
In the game, the Roadrunners outshot MMA 47-36, but the strong goaltending from MMA’s Jack Braga led the Bucs to a win. Braga recorded 43 saves against 47 shot attempts, while Ramapo goalie Paul Fiorello saved 31 shots on 36 attempts faced.
Sunday night’s game against division rival FDS did not provide much to be desired for the Roadrunners, as the team fell to the Rams, 8-1.
After a scoreless first period, the Rams’ offense exploded for four goals in each of the final two periods. Forward John McCann scored two goals and recorded two assists for FDS and a total of 12 players recorded at least one point for the Rams. The only goal for Ramapo came from Maurer, unassisted in the second period.
Farmingdale goalie Joseph DeCanio saved 30 of the 31 shots he faced. For the Roadrunners, Fiorello was pulled after allowing seven goals on 34 shot attempts from the Rams. Backup goalie Bryan Bartels finished the game for Ramapo, allowing one goal on 14 shot attempts.
On Saturday, Nov. 18, the team will travel to Shelton, Connecticut to face off against Fairfield University. After that, the team will get a break and not have a game during the school’s Thanksgiving break.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Tessa Pofahl
