COLMAR, Pa. - Stevenson Men's Hockey traveled to Arcadia University tonight for game one of their regular-season UCHC and MAC series. After a one-goal first period, the Mustangs would go on a scoring frenzy in the second period to secure their 15th win of the season.
Sophomore Blake Benson took responsibility for the lone goal of the opening period, citing assists from classmate Aidan McDowell and senior Zach Bannister.
Arcadia's Ryan Burgess stopped 20 first-period shots and added a few more in the second before the Mustangs broke the scoring wide open. Sophomore John Musella would score on the power-play just four minutes and 44 seconds into the period via classmate Jack Karlsson and junior Kyle Lightfoot. The goal was Musella's ninth of the season while Karlsson and Lightfoot are up to seven and five assists, respectively.
One minute and 54 seconds later, junior Graeme McCrory scored through a net-front screen after collecting the puck from a play set up by senior Evan Beers and McDowell once more. McCrory's score marks his fifth point of the season. The assists were Beers' fifth and McDowell's sixth.
Thirty-eight seconds later, junior Liam McCanney scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season in a solo effort, bringing his point total to 16.
Lightfoot followed up to make the period's scoring total an even four 57 seconds after McCanney lit the lamp, having been set up by classmate Jake Roberts and senior Eric Olson. Lightfoot's two-point night puts him at seven overall this season, while Roberts earned his fifth point and Olson his ninth.
The Mustangs were not done scoring after the second period, however. Zach Bannister returned to the scoresheet alongside first year Rhett Evjen and junior Aidan Graham early in the third for goal number six of the night. Evjen and Graham total 11 and seven points so far this season.
Bannister earned his third point of the night as Benson scored his second goal of the game six minutes later. Evan Beers picked up his ninth point of the season as the secondary assister while Bannister and Benson are going into tomorrow's matchup with 19 and 20 points, respectively.
In net, junior Ty Outen made the first 18 saves of the game before first year Nathan Kirschenbaum made his collegiate debut. Kirschenbaum would add another four saves in the victory.
With the win, Stevenson improves to 15-4-1 overall, 11-3-1 in the UCHC, and 5-2 in the MAC. The Mustangs return to Reisterstown tomorrow to round out their series with Arcadia, marking their final MAC contest of the season. Stevenson sits atop Middle Atlantic Conference with 15 points, and they look to make it 18 come tomorrow night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
