BOSTON, MA – Three first period goals carried the Northeastern University men's hockey team to a 5-0 victory over Union College in non-conference action at Matthews Arena Saturday evening. Union freshman goaltender Rich Sillery (Hyattsville, MD) came in midway through the first period and made 22 saves in the first game of his career. The Dutchmen drop to 2-1-1 on the year.

 

Northeastern (1-2-1) struck early, netting a short-handed goal at 2:37 of the first period. Joe Santilli picked up the puck in the neutral zone, and on a two-on-one, passed across to Joe Vitale who dropped behind Union's defender. Vitale sent the puck back across the slot to Santilli who flipped the puck in over Union starting goaltender Justin Mrazek's (Regina, SASK) glove side.

 

Northeastern's Andrew Linard picked up a deflected pass at the blueline and sent a slapshot past Mrazek from the top of the right circle at 9:17 to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. Ryan Ginand tipped in a pass from Rob Rassey just over a minute later, increasing Northeastern's lead to 3-0.

 

Union's offense picked up the latter half of the opening period, as the Dutchmen outshot the Huskies 12-9 over the period. Chris Potts (Phillipsburg, NJ) posted a late scoring chance for Union as he carried in the puck, angling in at the goal, only to have his wrister saved off of the helmet of Northeastern goaltender Adam Geragosian.

 

Sillery, who replaced Mrazek at 10:31 in the first period had a stellar first career game, stopping four Huskies shots in the first, all eight in the second, and 10 in the third. The rookie was proved himself right away in the first, saving a breakaway shot from Vitale, who had picked up an errant pass at the Northeastern blue line carried it all the way in. Sillery came up big in the second, stuffing Northeastern captain Mike Morris on a bad-angle shot at 13:11, and making seven saves while on the penalty kill through the first two periods.

 

Both teams had equal scoring opportunities in the penalty-ridden second period. Union had several chances while on the man advantage, but the Northeastern defense blocked most of the Dutchmen's shots before they could make it to Geragosian.

 

Union again had several chances in the third, sending four shots in on a five-on-three power play midway through the period. The Dutchmen again sent in shot after shot on another five-on-three at the end of the third, including a barrage from Brendan Milnamow (Wilton, CT), whose first shot hit the post and second found its way to Geragosian's shoulder.

 

The Dutchmen are back in action next weekend at the Governor's Cup presented by Citizens Bank at the Pepsi Arena. They play cross-town rival Rensselaer on Saturday, October 28 at 7 p.m.