New York, NY -- The roughest team at NYU has not lost since November.
On Saturday, the NYU hockey team beat Montclair State University at home, 8-0, in one of the most vicious games they've played all season. The Violets improved their overall record to 16-1-2.
"We expected them to be a pretty good team," star freshman Drew DeWitt said, because the team knew that MSU tied No. 2-ranked Siena College. "They were pretty bad, actually. A bunch of ruffians."
Captain Ben Maniere as more democratic and handed over much of the credit to the goal keeping skills of Brenden Hursh.
"It was a slow game, but if Brenden didn't play the way he did, if he lets in a couple goals, it's a close game," Maniere said.
Hursh stopped numerous breakaways and defended two-on-one situations.
As the game progressed, play became less orderly.
"It was just kind of a sloppy game. They were pretty rough. There was a lot of fighting," DeWitt said. "A lot of penalties the second and third period."
The hitting didn't stop until the end, and a few full-fledged fights broke out.
At one point, a MSU player grabbed DeWitt and becan punching him relentlessly, tearing off his helmet.
"It wasn't a fight, it was more of a beating," DeWitt said.
"It was basically just like a chore to beat them because they were just being dicks," DeWitt said.
There was good reason to be apprehensive: Both the Violets and MSU tied Siena College earlier in the season.
On Jan. 20, the Violets were up on Siena 2-0, in the first period. With less than a minute left in the period, Siena converted on a power-play opportunity. Then, in the next two periods, they scored three more unanswered goals to lead 4-2. With less than 50 seconds left to play, NYU scored two goals, tying the game and finalizing the score, 4-4.
NYU needed that game in order to remain on top of their division, the American College Hockey Association Northeast. If they lost, Siena would have taken over the No. 1 spot.
"It was huge for us," Maniere said.
NYU came from behind on Jan. 19 to defeat the University of Pennsylvania, 5-2.
Down 2-0 at the end of the first, the team scored five goals in the second and third periods to secure the win.
Before winter break, the Violets delighted their fans by pummeling Columbia University, 12-1, at the most heavily attended game all year.
"It was loud. Columbia fans were obnoxious. It was exciting. All of the NYU kids were cheering the team on," freshman fan Samir Gole said. "It was just a good atmosphere."
The game, which Maniere called "embarrasing" for Columbia, was cut short after only two periods.
"We killed them. It was one-sided," Gole said. "We were dominating the whole game."
Over winter break, three big additions returned to the team for the second half of the season.
Forward Justin McDermott, a freshman in the General Studies Program, is a "big kid with really good hands," Maniere said.
Forward Bryan Friedman, a junior in Tisch School of the Arts, recently returned from studying abroad in Ireland.
"He's one of our best players," Maniere said. "Our best all-around player."
Maniere calls Sean Clusen, a senior in Tisch, a "good puck handler, good shot."
"They're all big, big additions," Maniere said.
The Violets face Central Connecticut State University on Feb. 2 in Cromwell, Conn. Their next home game is against Marist College at the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers.