Curry Tops Hockey in CCC Opener

EVERETT, Mass. – Penalties riddled the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's ice hockey squad in their first Commonwealth Coast Conference showdown against the Curry Colonels on Friday night, resulting in a 5-2 defeat that featured three powerplay goals for the opposition.

THE BASICS:

RECORDS:  CC:  2-0, 1-0 CCC; WIT:  1-2, 0-1 CCC
SHOTS:  CC:  38; WIT:  31
PENALTIES/MINUTES:  CC:  7/25; WIT: 9/43
POWER PLAYS:  CC:  3-8; WIT:  1-5
GOALIE SAVES:  CC: Reid Cooper, 29; WIT:  Jack McGovern, 22 (39:00), Connor Carbo, 11 (20:00)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Colonels took advantage of Wentworth penalties early. Their top powerplay unit got a ton of reps and found the back of the net on a one-timer from graduate student Tarek Paranica (Grand Forks, N.D.) that beaten junior Connor Carbo (Berlin, Vt.) just under six minutes into the game.
• Colonels freshman Gage Dill (Estero, Fla.) managed to find the twine on a shot from the slot just over 15 minutes into the tilt.
• Just over a minute later, Paranica tallied again on the powerplay from his spot on the right dot, giving the Colonels a 3-0 lead and letting the Leopards play catch-up.
• Less than a minute later, 16:52 into the first period, Colonels junior George Vonakis (Abringdon, Md.) off of a slick pass from senior Timmy Kent (Parkland, Fla.), giving the Colonels a 4-0 lead in the first frame.
• Off of the opening face-off of the second period, Curry's offense wanted to continue its momentum. They did so but finishing a nice passing play that resulted in a goal for sophomore Tao Ishizuka (Providence, R.I.)
• Mid-way through the third, a scramble in front that had Colonels graduate student goalkeeper Reid Cooper (Corman Park, Saskatchewan) laying on the ice resulted in a loose puck for the Leopards. Sophomore Brenden Saether (Abbotsford, B.C.) scored off a rebound on a short shot from junior Matt Smoliga (Glenville, Ill.), cutting the deficit to 5-1.
• Six minutes later, freshman Ian Worthley (Saugus, Mass.) had a give-and-go play with freshman Hunter Wilson (Westport, Conn.) in the defensive zone that sprouted into an odd-man rush for the Leopards. Worthley took the puck in himself, deking Cooper for his first collegiate tally and making the score 5-2.

SERIES NOTES:

• Tonight marked the 41st all-time meeting between the two teams. Winners of the last four meetings, Curry leads the all-time series 28-8-5.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth plays Curry on the road in Commonwealth Coast Conference play tomorrow night.

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