Spring Break
Ice hockey finishes regular season No. 4 in South
Michael Perry
Issue date: 2/3/09 Section: Sports
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With the team's strong weekend, it bumped up in the ACHA Division III poll to No. 4. Boasting a 9-2-division record, the No. 4 Pirates returned home to finish their regular season with a win over Christopher Newport.
ECU came out on top on Saturday by a score of 7-5, but the win did not come easily. The Pirates scored the game-winning goal as freshman Dave "Cheese" Orlando slipped one past the CNU goalie to put ECU up 6-5.
"Getting that goal put it at them," said Orlando.
For extra measure, ECU forward Chris Cesario cashed in an empty-netter with 12 seconds left in the game to sink the Captains 7-5.
"We did a better job in the penalty department tonight," said coach Mike Markham. "That's why we won the game."
In the first period, CNU hit the ice checking, shooting and attacking the Pirates. The early physical play put ECU in a bind as it found itself on the wrong side of a power play. With only 47 seconds left to kill off of the penalty, CNU got a lucky deflection past Dalgetty to start the scoring at 15:27 in the first.
Returning the favor, ECU answered back on its own power play, as Ian Falcon centered a pass to Steven Allbright on the crease with five minutes left in the period. As the period expired, the two teams headed to the locker room all tied up at one.
The physical play continued into the second period and this time, the penalty bug bit the Captains, giving the Pirates a second period power play. The ECU power play unit opened up a shooting gallery as Kyle Charron burned the puck past the CNU goalie from the face off circle at 12:07, putting the Pirates in the lead for the first time in the game. ECU kept the ball rolling as Mike Rudolph put one back two minutes later to put the Pirates up 3-1.
Up by two, the Pirates gained momentum when the offense swooped into the Captains' zone once again. Allbright back-passed to Cesario, who sent the puck across the goal to Falcon who sniped one past the off-balance netminder. Easy as tick-tack-toe, the Pirates found themselves up by three at the seven minute mark.
ECU had gained a comfortable three-goal lead, but CNU replied as the Captains scored just eight seconds later. The Pirates still looked to shake off the goal, but within the next three minutes, CNU added two more goals to dissolve the Pirates' commanding lead.
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