Over the weekend, the Ramapo ice hockey team won twice, including a vastly important Empire Conference victory over Rutgers University on Saturday night, and a non-conference victory over the University of Delaware on Sunday night. The Roadrunners now stand at 7-5-2 this season, which currently places them third in the Empire.
Beginning with their game at Rutgers, Ramapo was led by a strong performance from senior goalie Paul Fiorello, who allowed just one goal on 22 shot attempts from the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers’ lone goal came late in the first period with just one minute remaining, when center Gavin Rieger scored his sixth goal of the season. From that moment on, Fiorello held Rutgers off the scoreboard, saving all 15 shots on goal in the second and third periods combined.
The Roadrunners’ scoring began 10 minutes into action, when senior and team captain Rory Maurer scored his seventh goal of the season off an assist from defenseman Michael Piccinich. With less than a minute remaining in the first period and the score tied at one, defenseman Devin Haines scored his first ever collegiate goal, assisted by forwards Daniel Klutkoski and Jacob Hepburn.
The next 35 minutes of action between the two teams would remain as a 2-1 lead for the Roadrunners until second year center Robert Wogisch scored on a power play opportunity off assists from Piccinich and senior forward Eric Miles. As the clock hit triple zeros, Ramapo secured their third Empire Conference victory of the season, 3-1.
In goal for the Scarlet Knights, Corbin Divenuto faced 47 shots from Ramapo, saving 44 of them. Rutgers now stands at 3-7-0 this season.
One night later, Ramapo returned home where they faced Delaware for the first of two meetings this month. The Roadrunners’ victory was driven by a hat trick from Maurer, his first of the season and Ramapo’s fourth overall. The other three belonging to senior Anthony Fizer.
The Blue Hens got on the board first with a goal from center Nicolas Viola, assisted by Connor Brooks and Zach Solomon. Three minutes later, Maurer scored his first of the game off assists from Fizer and senior center Thomas Moskal. On his next shift, Maurer followed it up with his second goal of the game, assisted by Fizer and Piccinich.
A scoreless second period was just the calm before the storm, setting up for an onslaught of goals in the final frame. Four minutes into the period, Fizer scored his team-leading 17th goal of the season, assisted by Maurer. Less than a minute later, Haines scored his second goal of the season unassisted to put Ramapo up 4-1.
The Blue Hens fired back though, scoring two straight goals from Griffen O’Shaughnessy and Steven Boyles in the span of two minutes. However, with six minutes remaining, Maurer secured an insurance goal for Ramapo, his third of the game and 10th of the season, unassisted. Delaware got one back when Brooks scored his second goal of the game, but it wasn’t enough as the Roadrunners captured the 5-4 victory.
Fiorello started in goal for Ramapo saving 26 of 30 shot attempts from the Blue Hens, good for a .867 save percentage. For Delaware, Gavin Schornstein saved 24 of 29 shot attempts from the Roadrunners. The Blue Hens are now 2-10-2 this season.
If Delaware is searching for a rematch against Ramapo, they won’t have to wait long as the two teams will face off again on Sunday, Dec. 10 at the Fred Rust Arena in Newark, Delaware at 6 p.m. That game will be Ramapo’s last until 2024, when they resume their season against Fordham University on Saturday, Jan. 27.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Tessa Pofahl Photos
