Box Score EASTON, Mass. – The Southern New Hampshire ice hockey team won its fifth straight game and earned a berth into the Northeast-10 Conference tournament with a 5-3 win over Stonehill College Sunday evening. With the win, the Penmen improve to 7-12-2 overall and 5-3-1 in league play while the Skyhawks are 10-13 with a 5-4 conference record.
Michael Settipani (Charlestown, Mass.) recorded his first goal of the season to put the Penmen ahead 1-0 just 2:48 into the first period. Jim Gabrione (Boca Raton, Fla.) would build on SNHU's lead when he scored his ninth goal of the season from Dane Caracino (Belmont, Mass.) on a Penmen power play. However, the Skyhawks would answer when Bryan Rooney capitalized on a power play to score his 13th goal of the season with just under four minutes left in the period. The Penmen would hold a 2-1 lead heading into the second period.
Steven Berry (Ashburn, Va.) notched a power play goal two minutes into the second period to build on SNHU's lead, while back-to-back goals would prove to be the difference in the game. Gabrione would score the game-winner as well as his second goal of the game at the 8:46 mark, and Jim O'Connor (Arlington, Mass.) recorded his first collegiate goal to bring the Penmen score total to five before Rooney notched his second goal of the game. The score would be 5-2 at the end of the period.
Another Skyhawks' goal from Andrew Miller in the third period would bring Stonehill within two goals of SNHU, but it was not enough as the Penmen skated to a 5-3 victory.
Goalkeeper Tyler Holske (Attleboro, Mass.) saved 29 shots in net, while Chris Tasiopoulos and Matthew Pelella each stopped 12 shots for Stonehill.
The Penmen return to action Tuesday, February 12 when they travel to Franklin Pierce for a 7:00 conference game.
