The Ramapo College ice hockey team returned to action over the weekend, playing three games at the Keystone Kickoff event in Harrisburg, Pa. The Roadrunners lost the first and third games of the event to Kutztown University and the University of Delaware, but salvaged the middle game with a comeback victory against SUNY Fredonia.
Beginning with Friday night’s game against Kutztown, the Roadrunners fell 3-2 despite late goals from forwards Anthony Fizer and Adam Moskal. After both teams were held scoreless in the first period, Kutztown scored three consecutive goals in the second. The first of the game was scored by Golden Bears defenseman Michael DeRosa, which came on a power play opportunity granted by Ramapo’s Jacob Hepburn.
Late in the second period, Kutztown doubled their lead thanks to a goal from forward Jackson Novak, assisted by Chase Canestra. With just one minute remaining in the period, the Golden Bears added another goal from defenseman Bailey Slotwinski, coming off a second power play opportunity given by Hepburn.
In the third period, Ramapo’s offense finally came to life, as Moskal put one in the back of the net off assists from Hepburn and Daniel Kulbanskiy. With eight minutes remaining, Fizer was able to score on a power play chance off assists from Tommy Korpics and Robert Wogisch. Despite the two late goals, the Golden Bears took the opener of the Keystone Kickoff, 3-2.
In goal for Ramapo, Alec Rittenhouse had an outstanding performance, saving 41 of 44 shot attempts from Kutztown. For the Golden Bears, Colby Rosen got the start at goalie, saving 33 of 35 Roadrunner shot attempts.
On Saturday morning, the Roadrunners took to the ice against SUNY Fredonia, and fought off a late 3-1 deficit to take the win, 4-3. The Blue Devils got on the board first, scoring two consecutive goals from defenseman Nate Kernan and forward Colton Clendening. At the end of the first period, Hepburn cut the lead in half for Ramapo, scoring on a power play chance off assists from Wogisch and Fizer.
In the second period, the Blue Devils added a goal off the stick of forward Adam Polito, assisted by Lucas Williams and Eli Mulville, and took a 3-1 lead into the third period.
After eight minutes of scoreless hockey to open the final frame of action, Moskal took it upon himself to score an unassisted shorthanded goal to cut Fredonia’s lead to just one. With four minutes left, Brady Vella scored the game-tying goal for Ramapo off an assist from Devin Haines.
With just one minute remaining, Moskal completed the comeback for the Roadrunners, scoring the game-winning goal off assists from Wogisch and Tommy Korpics. In goal, Rittenhouse had another solid performance, saving 31/34 shot attempts from the Blue Devils, including all 13 shot attempts in the third period.
On Sunday afternoon, the Roadrunners couldn’t match up to the University of Delaware, falling 6-0. The Blue Hens scored twice in the first period off goals from Alex Birchard and Michael DePrisco, as well as four times in the third period thanks to another goal from DePrisco, two goals from Zach Soloman and one from Charles Allen.
In goal, Rittenhouse got the start once again, allowing six goals on 51 shot attempts from the Blue Hens. Delaware goalie Andrew Gatti saved all 25 shot attempts from the Roadrunners for his first shutout of the season.
Despite the rocky weekend, the Roadrunners currently find themselves in first place in the Empire division with their 2-2 record. Ramapo will play two games this weekend, the first on Friday night against Columbia University, and the second coming on Saturday night against Rutgers University. Both games will take place at the Ice Vault Arena in Wayne.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @rcnjicehockey, Instagram
