New York, NY -- Coaches at the Leatherneck Ivitational Tournament Championship hockey tournament voted NYU freshman Joe Leonard tournament MVP on Sunday at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
Leonard scored the game-winning goal of NYU's 5-0 victory over the host, Navy. Leonard tallied two goals the day before against Penn State West, totaling seven points during the tournament.
"Joe played his best hockey with heart and determination," Coach Stephen Hetherman said. "If NYU is able to recruit more players like him in the future, this program will be exceptional."
Coaches also rewarded Jason Nicoll, Dan Perry and Jon Hsia with all-tournament team nominations: first team for Nicoll and Perry, and second for Hsia. The stellar goaltending of Nicoll led him to a shutout of Navy. Freshman forward Perry scored three goals and dished out four assists. Hsia posted an assist and a plus-4 rating for the tournament.
"This team is coming together and finally playing as a team," Hetherman said. "Hopefully this championship will be an incentive for the guys to keep it up."
NYU's Leonard scored on Navy goalie Jon Vambraght off a rebound from a Perry slapshot 11 minutes into the first period on a power play, giving NYU a 1-0 lead that would never be challenged.
Prentiss Noyes increased NYU's lead to 3-0, blinding Navy with two goals within seven seconds of each other. Perry nearly equaled that feat, sealing the victory with two mid-period goals on assists from Noyes and Leonard. Perry's goals came 20 seconds apart.
NYU played a very disciplined game, taking only two third-period penalties and out shot their opponents 41 to 24.
The shutout victory followed a decisive 8-2 win over Penn State West on Saturday.
NYU tied Penn State West's 2-0 lead by the end of the first period with two even-strength goals. From that point on it seemed like Penn State couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. Gerry Milligan scored at 12:36 of the first period with a slap-shot that whizzed through Penn State West's goaltender Marty Kokel's pads. Perry did the same only 20 seconds later. Senior Sean Mahoney scored shorthanded at 7:19 of the second period beginning the third with a 5-2 lead.
Keith Younus scored his second goal of the season o nthe power play at 9:01 of the third, off a pass from Leonard. Milligan scored for the second time that game 40 seconds later. Leonard ended all of Penn State West's hope with a power-play goal late in the game, sliding in a rebound from Hsia's blast.
NYU's record now stands at 4-4.
The Violets will host William Patterson University on Saturday at the SkyRink at Chelsea Piers. The puck drops at 8:30 p.m.