Feb. 4, 2008
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Endicott College sophomore forward Mark Gaudreau (Pittsfield, Vt./Kents Hill) netted the game-winner with 3:02 remaining in regulation to push the Gulls past the Northeast's third-ranked team, Marist College, on Saturday night in Poughkeepsie, New York.
A back-and-forth first period was a defensive showcase as each team battled for the upper hand. Knowing it would be an evenly contested battle (the Gulls and Red Foxes played to a 4-4 tie on Nov. 3), neither team took many offensive risks in the opening frame. Just when it seemed like the two squads would enter the intermission gridlocked in a 0-0 tie, freshman Eddie O'Brien (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) broke the ice as he took a Paul Manfredi (Burlington, Mass./Arlington Catholic) feed and beat Tim Fleming (Wethersfield, N.Y./Wethersfield) with just 33 ticks left in the first to give EC a 1-0 lead.
Marist came flying out of the dressing room and quickly responded just 26 seconds into the second as Reny Mazorra (Bayside, N.Y./Holy Cross High) notched his team-leading 29th point of the season as he found the back of the net to even the game at 1-all. The Red Foxes' other big gun, Kevin Rich (Franklin, N.Y./Franklin), struck just 10 minutes later on the power play as he snuck the puck past Josh Provost (West Rutland, Vt./Mount St. Joseph) for his team-best 13th goal of the season to grab the lead for the hosts.
Both Endicott and Marist would trade a pair of goals before the end of the second as Brett Erickson (Leominster, Mass./St. Bernard's) continued his offensive output with a power play goal from defenseman Dan Giddings (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) to even the contest at two. Dave May (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown North) regained the lead for Marist with under a minute to play in the second as he netted his 12th of the season to send the Red Foxes into the break, 3-2.
Jeff Berlin (Durham, N.H./Oyster River) netted the equalizer five minutes into the third on an assist from Mark Gaudreau. Marist fired right back exactly one minute later on Mazzora's second of the night, returning the lead to the Red Foxes, 4-3. Junior forward Greg Dorman (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack) re-tied the game mid-way thru the third as he turned a Chris Garofalo (Peabody, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) pass into the Gulls' fourth of the night. Garofalo completed his multi-point evening 1:59 later as he ripped a shot past Fleming to give Endicott its first lead since the first intermission, 5-4.
Mark Gaudreau put the Gulls up two, 6-4, with 3:02 left in regulation. The two goal cushion proved to be invaluable as Marist's Matt Siuzdak (Middleton, N.Y./Red Bank Catholic) found the back of the net with just over a minute remaining in the third. After pulling their goalie in favor of the extra attacker, Mike Ripley (Easton, Conn./Fairfield Prep) put the Red Foxes away with an empty netter, securing the 7-5 Endicott win.
The victory marks the Gulls 10th of the year, as the Blue and Green improve to 10-9-1 overall (6-3 NECHA). Endicott entered Saturday's showdown as the 14th ranked team in the Northeast, as the Gulls are vying for a top-10 ranking and a trip to the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Regional Tournament. The upset win over third-ranked Marist will help their cause, but now a win over MIT on Saturday is crucial for the Gulls to keep their postseason hopes alive. Endicott and MIT square-off on Saturday night in Hamilton, Massachusetts. Face-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
