STYLUS REPORT ON MORRISVILLE GAME

Reporter Brandon Wood at the Stylus offers this analysis of last weekend's Morrisville game...


The Golden Eagles ice hockey team’s bus was dead silent following their game at Morrisville State Friday, Nov. 30.

“It was one of the most quiet two-hour bus rides I can remember,” Head Coach Brian Dickinson said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of talking going on.”

 Perhaps the silence can be attributed to the fact they lost to a team that was winless entering the game. Maybe it was because the Eagles lost after holding a 3-1 lead more than halfway through the game. Or possibly it was because the team that defeated them kept Brockport out of the SUNYAC playoffs last season and made their fight to earn a playoff spot that much more difficult.

Whatever the reason, the Eagles (3-8-1 overall, 3-4 SUNYAC) could not hide from the fact they lost to Morrisville 5-4.

“We didn’t say much at the rink [following the game],” Dickinson said. “We had a lengthy meeting when we got back. It’s tough when you play a team below you in the standings. You have to pay attention to detail while you’re playing them, and we didn’t do that for sixty minutes.”

Ten minutes later, freshman Chris Luker scored his first collegiate goal, tying the game on the power play. Brockport finished the night 1-for-3 with a one-man advantage, and struggled on breakaway and two-on-one opportunities.

“We really worked hard on two-on-one situations during practice this week,” Dickinson said. “I was disappointed that we didn’t capitalize more when we had those chances.”

Early in the second period, Jeremy DeFazio and Troy Polino scored five minutes apart to put the Eagles up 3-1.

Brockport held a 24-9 advantage in shots at one point during the game. However, Morrisville wouldn’t go away, as they had in so many other games this season, and outshot Brockport 26-4 throughout the rest of the game.

Morrisville scored a goal to make it 3-2 late in the second period, and its momentum carried into the third period. Anthony Scornaienchi scored a shorthanded goal five minutes in to tie the game for the Mustangs. Just 19 seconds later, Marc-Antoine Chaput gave Morrisville the lead.

Brockport found a way to tie the game on the stick of junior Chris Cangro three minutes later. This was Cangro’s fifth goal of the season, tying him with Shane Cavalieri for the team lead.

With four minutes remaining, Ryan Marcuz scored the game-winning goal for the Mustangs. Brockport was unable to find the net, even with Green pulled for the final minute of the game. Green finished the game with 30 saves.

The Eagles play SUNYAC rival Geneseo Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. They take on Western New England College in a non-conference game Saturday, Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. Both games will be played at home in Tuttle North Ice Arena.

“The loss to Morrisville makes our upcoming game against Geneseo huge,” Dickinson said. “We have to start winning some of these conference games if we’re going to improve our chances of getting back to the [SUNYAC] playoffs.”

Brockport has not been to the SUNYAC playoffs since the 2009-10 season. The Golden Eagles are currently sixth in the SUNYAC conference. The top six teams make it to the postseason.

While on break from classes, the Golden Eagles will get a break from hockey until Jan. 4 when they report back for practice. They have games one week later in Boston, Mass. against Nichols and Suffolk State.

“Bringing them back [Jan. 4] gives us a whole week to get them back into shape and get them conditioned,” Dickinson said. “We might even do two practices a day a couple of those days. We have two non-conference games and then we’re right back into SUNYAC play.”

SUNYAC play resumes for the Eagles Jan. 18 at home against Buffalo State, two weekends before classes resume on campus.



Source: http://www.thestylus.net/sports/brockport-hockey-stunned-in-morrisville-1.2964113#.UL8PiYZNp_-