New York, NY -- It was a battle of goalies Sunday night as the ice hockey team out-defended the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils.
NYU defeated CCSU 4-2 in a game marked by hard hits and strong efforts by both teams' goaltenders. Crunch time came in the third period, when the Violets scored two goals to take a 4-1 lead by rushing the net and pulling in a series of rebounds until they succeeded.
A series of fights also defined pla in the third period. Tensions reached an apex when NYU's Mike Moen and a CCSU player yanked at each others' helmets and began hitting each other.
It took a few minutes for the referees to stop the fighting, leading to universal boos from the crowd and widespread criticism of the refs.
The Blue Devils got some help from the Violets near the end of the game, when NYU's sophomore goaltender, Brian Kenney, made a kick save that was accidentally backhanded into the net by freshman Brian Speronello.
But NYU was able to kill a series of CCSU power plays in the closing minutes to pull out the win.
"We tied Montclair," senior Scott Zimmerman said, referring to Friday's game against Montclair State University. "That was a loss for us. But tonight we played hard, with heart. Today we really won. We're going to nationals.
Both NYU and CCSU started off strong in the first period, playing a powerful passing game and setting up shots on net. Freshman defenseman Mike Martin was especially notable in keeping the pressure on, eking out multiple shots on CCSU's senior goalie Ed Kelley.
NYU senior Daniel Bressler broke the game open five minutes into the period when he took the puck and rushed the net, deking to the right and, after the goalie dove, putting the puck in the opposite corner.
Minutes later, junior John Walpole upped the score with a high shot over Kelley's shoulder.
Meanwhile, Kenney kept his net clear with some acrobatic play. Throughout the period he kicked and dove for the puck, scooping it into his glove hand and freezing it before CCSU's tight offense could take it back.
The second period started with a power play for the Blue Devils. Yet, as would become apparent through the rest of the game, NYU's penalty killing line is one of its best. Senior John Giardino came close on numerous occasions to scoring short handed.
"We're not there yet," Giardino said of the penalty killing. "But we're improving. We're doing well.
Halfway through the period, CCSU knocked in its first goal when Kenney kicked the puck away to the left and the Blue Devils rebounded, knocking it in to the right of the goalie, for their only legitimate score of the contest.