New York, NY -- With a 5-0 finish against Central Connecticut State University Saturday and a 3-1 victory over Westfield State College Friday, the men's ice hockey team grabbed two much-needed wins.
"We had lost to both teams last year, and one of them, Westfield, was a top team in the East. We needed these wins," Captain Dan Nemchek said.
NYU dominated Central Connecticut throughout the game, the second match of the weekend. Despite a moderate number of penalties on both sides of the ice, NYU was able to control all three periods. Junior Matt Weindel, freshman Tom D'Agostino and the team's assistant captain, junior John Giardino, continued their hot streak, playing key roles in all of the Violets' goals and assists.
"It was good to beat Central," Nemchek said. "They're our rivals ... We respect them, but it's good to beat them."
The first game of the weekend, against Westfield, was a closer match.
"We played one good team and one not-[so]-good team this weekend," Assistant Captain Brian Gilmore said. "Westfield was the good team."
Westfield dominated the first period against NYU, leading in power plays and scoring its first goal of the game. Fortunately for NYU, it was their only goal.
"They took the first period," Nemchek said. "But we didn't let them have the second period."
The last two periods of the game more closely resembled the Central Connecticut game, with Giardino and Weindel leading the team in offensive plays. Westfield was unable to answer NYU's three tallies as men's hockey improved its record to 9-1.
Nemchek seemed pleased with his team's performance.
"Giardino is on fire, Weindel is on fire and [freshman goalie] Brian Kenney is on fire," he said.
Nemchek was, however, quick to acknowledge the challenge ahead: Saturday's game against the State University of New York at Stony Brook, a top-ranked college in the Northeast. "We're done celebrating for the weekend," Nemchek said. "On Tuesday, we start training for the game. We have to get locked and loaded. Although we know it doesn't matter how well we've played in the past, we're not intimidated. We're excited. We're hungry for this game."
Many of the players predicted that the combination of NYU's fast offense and brick-wall defense, led by Kenney, will lead to a victory.