New Haven, CT. - The Central Maine Community College hockey club was looking to avenge their opening night defeat at the hands of the University of New Haven Chargers on Saturday night, but timely goalkeeping from Logan Cole and a Tyler Robichaud hat trick would pace the hosts to an exciting 4-1 win at Edward L. Bennett Arena on Saturday evening.
The first period was exciting, penalty-filled, and scoreless with both teams exchanging quality chances but neither team was able to break duck. It would take until the 7:56 mark of the first period for either team to tally, with Robichaud opportunistically pouncing on a rebound after Mustangs netminder Jacob Strout had kept the first chance out. Patsy Harris and Justin Vreeland registered assists on the play.
The lead would only stand for a few minutes, however, as the Mustangs power play capitalized for the fourth straight game. Warren Karlberg would score for the third consecutive game, burying a rebound in front to level the game with 9:55 to play in the middle period. Sean Coleman added the only assist on the play.
"It was great to get back into it as quickly as we did," said Mustangs head coach Matt Buotte. "Unfortunately tonight we were a little undisciplined. It bit us in the end."
New Haven would tally again with 2:44 to go in the second, this time on the power play. With Sean Coleman serving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Robichaud would unleash a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle that evaded Strout and sent the home crowd into a frenzy. The goal was unassisted.
New Haven took a 2-1 lead into the third, a lead that would remain unchanged for most of the period. Central Maine continued to push for an equalizer, with several great chances thwarted by Cole including a Tanner Garand opportunity off the rush and a dazzling between-the-legs move from Shawn Sullivan in front. The Mustangs best chance to equalize came with 8:59 to play when they were awarded a 5-on-3 opportunity but could not capitalize throughout the 1:01 of two-man advantage. Then, with 3:04 remaining, Robichaud would complete his banner night by capping off the hat trick on a goalmouth scramble. Jamie Blum added an assist on the play.
With the goaltender pulled and searching for an equalizer Central Maine could not solve Cole again. Santiago Palacio would finish the game with 36.4 seconds remaining, firing into the empty net from center ice and capping off a frustrating night in Connecticut for the Mustangs.
"It was disappointing," said Buotte afterward. "We did a lot of things really well. We were undisciplined in the end and it cost us. But, at the end of the day, you see their goalie walking around with their team hard hat afterward despite one guy getting a hat trick. I think that kind of says all you need to know. He was great tonight. We had the chances and just didn't capitalize."
Cole made 32 saves for the Chargers in the victory as Strout continued his strong play with 35 stops in defeat. The Chargers were 1-for-7 on the power play in victory while the Mustangs went 1-for-6 in the loss. It was the fifth straight game the power play had registered a goal. The Mustangs are now off until Saturday, November 16th, when they travel to Massachusetts to take on Suffolk University, an ACHA DII opponent. Puck drops at 6:30 p.m. at Larsen Arena in Winthrop.
