Courtesy St. Michael’s Sports Information
SOUTH BURLINGTON — The Saint Michael’s College men’s ice hockey team defeated Castleton University, 7-0, on Saturday at Cairns Arena in a Non-Conference game. Before the game, the Purple Knights honored John Gurskis ’98 by retiring his No. 9, the first number retired in program history.
RECORDS
· Saint Michael’s (6-3-1), Castleton (3-7-1)
SAINT MICHAEL’S LEADERS
· First-year Matt Schreiner (Falmouth, Mass./Walpole Express), 2 goals, 1 assist, 10-for-16 faceoffs
· Junior Paul McAuliffe (Newton, Mass./Kimball Union Academy), 2 goals
· First-year Sam Johnson (Freeport, Maine/Walpole Express), 1 goal (1st career), 1 assist
· Junior Andrew Olevitz (Winthrop, Mass./Northern Cyclones), 1 goal, 1 assist
· Junior Cameron Stewart (Sabattus, Maine/East Coast Wizards), 1 goal, 1 assist
· Frist-year Jeremy Routh (Hamden, Conn./New Hampshire Junior Monarchs), 2 assists
· Junior Sel Narby (Huntington, N.Y./Connecticut Junior Rangers), 1 assist, +4
· First-year Alec Lindberg (Bedford, N.H./Hampton Road Whalers), 40 saves (1st career shutout)
OPPONENT LEADERS
· Sophomore Anton Tarvainen, 15-for-20 faceoffs
· First-year Brandon Collett, 19 saves in 32:17
· Sophomore Kyle Alaverdy, 12 saves in 27:31 of relief
GAME FACTS
· The 7-0 win is the most points in a shutout for the Purple Knights since defeating Castleton 12-0 on Nov. 15, 2003.
· John Gurskis ’98 became the first Saint Michael’s player to have his number retired. He holds school records for career points (234), assists (141), and game-winning goals (11) while standing second in goals (93).
THE ACTION
· The Purple Knights took the lead with 7:04 gone in the first period when a pass by Routh was deflected by junior Ethan Hendrickson (Budd Lake, N.J./New Jersey Rockets) to Schreiner in front of the net, whose shot went to the right side of the net.
· The Spartans had a chance to tie the game 2:44 into the second period when they were awarded a penalty shot, but Lindberg made the save to keep the score 1-0.
· The lead was extended 5:47 into the second period when a two-on-one play ended with a pass from junior Thomas Flack (Toronto, Ontario/Saint Michael’s Buzzers) to McAuliffe for a one-timer goal.
· Johnson scored his first career goal with 9:37 gone when Schreiner passed to him on the left point and the shot stung the top right corner of the net.
· Sophomore Andrew DeCristoforo (Medway, Mass./South Shore Kings) assisted the fourth goal when his shot was saved, but Schreiner was there to knock in the rebound.
· First-year Paulius Macijauskas (Kėdainiai, Lithuania / Rice Memorial Prep) earned his first career assist with 7:33 gone in the third when his shot was saved by Alaverdy, but Stewart was there to hit in the rebound.
· Olevitz scored the sixth goal for the Purple Knights 11:59 into the period after a pass by junior Paul Cerdà (Puigcerdà, Catalunya/Buffalo State) found him at the top right circle, and the shot went to the top right corner of the net.
· The Seventh goal came less than a minute later when McAuliffe found the back of the net for a second of a pass by Johnson.
NEXT SAINT MICHAEL’S GAME
· Jan. 3 at Middlebury College, 4 p.m.
· The Purple Knights will face Middlebury in the first round of the Middlebury Holiday Classic.