The Monmouth University Ice Hockey team’s season ended on Friday, February 29, with a 3-2 loss to University of Pennsylvania in West Chester, PA. The Hawks, the fourth seed in the Colonial States College Hockey Conference, finished their season 13-10-2 and a conference record of 7-5-2.
Monmouth took the lead early. Senior center, Kyle Blazier, took a shot that deflected off of junior left winger, Anthony DeFede, and went into UPenn’s goal. Minutes later, DeFede passed the puck to Mike Frade, a freshman right winger, who backhanded the puck into the net. UPenn scored a goal late in the second period to make the score 2-1.
With 10 minutes of play left in the third period, UPenn somehow manage to score from behind the goal line. “There was a lot of traffic in front of the net,” DeFede said. “I honestly don’t know how it went in.”
UPenn scored the game winner within the final minute and a half of play making the final score 3-2. Monmouth fought valiantly in this close, tight checking, low scoring game.
Even though this loss sent the Hawks back to the nest, every cloud has its silver lining. Monmouth Ice Hockey as already made its mark on the Colonial State College Hockey Conference, showing rivals such as TCNJ, NJIT, Seton Hall, and West Chester that they can be a force to be reckoned with in years to come. “This season was a nice little taste of what we can do next year,” said Stephen Bonora, the goalie.
Both DeFede and Bonora believe that the team, as a unit, has taken major steps forward. “Our team grew hungrier and progressively more physical throughout the season, but finishing and scoring final goals was our problem,” DeFede recalled. “Tony [DeFede] and I plan on skating in the offseason to work on some things as we prep for next season,” Bonora said.
Coach Amato had encouraging words to say to his players postgame. “Don’t hang you heads over this. You all worked hard from the start of training camp until this point,” Amato said. “You guys played a great game and I want to thank you all for a great season.”
Not only Amato, but also Coach Norkus, who played amongst many of the upperclassman, had final words for his team. “You guys had an awesome season. Don’t let this get you down,” Norkus said.
The season may be over, but the Hawks will pickup where they left off once their training camp begins at Jersey Shore Ice Hockey Arena in August 2016. “Until then, everyone should be in the weight room in order to meet the fitness requirements,” DeFede said. “It’s hard because our team isn’t together until August, but once August hits, it’s hockey season.
The team will work with their new cast as well as returning players in order to practice their timely goal scoring so they could clinch those ‘one goal games.’
Bonora and DeFede agreed that this year was pivotal for Monmouth University Ice Hockey. “It dictated where the team will be five to 10 years from now,” DeFede said. “Now, we’ve developed a culture of winning that hasn’t been here in a long time.”
PHOTO TAKEN BY James Romano
