Box Score REISTERSTOWN, Md. - For the second straight season, the Stevenson men's ice hockey team defeated Neumann in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) quarterfinals as the second-seeded Mustangs downed sixth-seeded Neumann, 3-2, Thursday afternoon at Reisterstown Sportsplex.
- The Mustangs (11-2-1) were whistled for a penalty just 22 seconds into the contest but the Knights (1-6-2) did not record a shot on net.
- After Neumann recorded the first shot of the game, the hosts had the next three, including a pair by first year, Seth Bergeron.
- At the 9:13 mark, the Knights were sent to the penalty box for a tripping call, giving Stevenson its first power play opportunity of the game.
- Both junior Chad Watt and first year Mac Lowry fired shots on net but both knocked aside by Kyle Pantalone.
- With 3:28 remaining in the opening period, Evan Hoey gave the visitors the lead as he redirected a shot from the point by Nick Cramer.
- Early in the period, Watt nearly tied the game as he shot in transition fired off the post.
- The Mustangs went back on the penalty kill early in the period but sophomore Ryan Kenny stopped the lone shot he faced while Bergeron recorded a pair of blocked shots.
- At the midway point, Stevenson earned a power play, and with four seconds remaining, knotted the game at, 1-1, on a blast by first year, Blake Colman.
- Senior Aaron Murray passed the puck up to Colman at the point for the primary assist while junior Ryan Patrick was credited with the secondary assist.
- At the 16:01 mark, the Knights were called for a major penalty and a game misconduct, giving the hosts a five-minute power play.
- The Mustangs recorded seven shots during the major penalty but all were stopped by Pantalone.
- Eleven seconds after the major penalty expired, first year Anthony Starzi gave the Mustangs the lead, scoring at the 1:12 mark.
- Murray found sophomore Austin Master in the neutral zone before passing the puck across the blue line to Starzi who beat Pantalone to the top right corner over his glove.
- For the second time in the contest, the Mustangs fired a shot off the pipe as sophomore Chris Lee saw his shot just miss.
- Bergeron hit the pipe just passed the midway point while Joe Verboys did the same down the other end five minutes later.
- With 3:33 remaining, Master forced a turnover in the Mustangs offensive zone before scoring unassisted to give the hosts a two-goal lead.
- Stevenson took a penalty with 1:30 remaining and with Pantalone on the bench in favor of an extra skater, the Knights had a six-on-four advantage.
- With 1:07 left in regulation, Clay Boyd got the visitors within one.
- The Knights pulled Pantalone once again but Neumann was whistled for a penalty with 34.4 seconds remaining.
- Stevenson outshot Neumann, 38-23, including 25-13 through the first two periods of play.
- The Mustangs finished 1-for-4 on the power play while the Knights went 1-for-3.
- The win is the sixth straight for Stevenson in the series, including the second consecutive UCHC quarterfinals victory.
- Stevenson is unbeaten in its last nine games, setting a new program record for longest unbeaten streak.
- Colman extended his point streak to six games, including three straight games with a goal.
- Meanwhile, Master set a new career-best with a six-game point streak.
- Murray finished with a pair of assists for his 12th career multi-point game and fifth career game with at least two assists.
- In net, Kenny finished with 21 saves, including nine in the third period.
- Stevenson will host third-seeded Wilkes in the UCHC semifinals on Friday, April 2. Opening face-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
- The Mustangs defeated the Colonels, 3-1, earlier in the season on home ice.
