Nov. 1, 2003
The Halloween celebration was short-lived. After a convincing 6-1 win over Rhode Island College on Friday, the Endicott College hockey team returned home on Saturday, Nov. 1, for a match-up against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, the Engineers of MIT, playing in their first game of the season, got the jump on the Gulls right from the opening face-off and never looked back, scoring five unanswered goals over the first two periods before coasting to a final 5-2 victory.
The MIT scoring parade started at the 8:34 mark, when the Engineer forwards were able to bury a second rebound past Gull sophomore netminder Jeff Pardue. Seven minutes later, MIT's Brian LaCrosse was left open in the high slot and snapped off a quick shot that just squeezed between Pardue's right arm and his body. Endicott's Mike Tonucci came within a whisker of breaking the Gull's scoring drought, but MIT goalie Tristan Almada made a nice sliding pad save to smother Tonucci's bid. The backbreaker came with a minute left in the opening period, when MIT's Rick Fahey cranked a booming slap shot past a screened Pardue.
In the second period, the Gulls were again a step behind the opportunistic Engineers. MIT's Kyle McKenny capitalized on a scramble in front of the net to score just 1:16 into the period, and teammate Nick Maietta finished the Engineers scoring following another pile-up in Endicott's crease, flipping the puck past a fallen Pardue and the two players on top of him. Though outshot by a substantial margin, the Gulls continued to battle, and had a handful of outstanding scoring opportunities. Casey Marini, Jason Fall and Joe Dudek all had point blank shots sail just wide of the MIT net.
Refusing to quit, the Gulls reclaimed a measure of pride in the third stanza, as freshman Mike Spellman and Dudek each tallied, ruining Almada's shutout bid. Overall, Endicott's defense played a gutsy game against the bigger Engineers, though 32 minutes in penalties, including two 10-minute misconduct calls, left the Gulls shorthanded too often. Pardue, facing more than 50 shots, was solid in Endicott's net, keeping the Gulls within striking distance while recording 49 saves.
The Gulls won't have to wait long before they try to turn the tables on MIT - Endicott's return engagement against the Engineers is set for Wednesday, Nov. 12, in Cambridge. Their next game is Friday, Nov. 7, at Coast Guard, followed by a home game Saturday, Nov. 8, against league powerhouse Bryant.
FINIS
