Press Release

DUFFY HELPS PURPLE KNIGHT MEN ADVANCE TO NORTHEAST-10 FINAL
SMC edges Stonehill in overtime, 6-5; faces Saint Anselm for title on Saturday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                              FOR MORE INFORMATION
March 3, 2004                                                                                   Contact: Seth Cole
By Matthew Lyons ‘06                                                                        Phone: (802) 654-2537

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Senior forward Mike Duffy (Malone, N.Y./Nepean Raiders) scored the equalizer with 20 seconds left in regulation, and the game-winner 9:19 into overtime, as Saint Michael’s College defeated Stonehill College, 6-5, in the Northeast-10 Conference semifinals on Wednesday at Cairns Arena. With the win, the second-seeded Purple Knights advance to the inaugural NE-10 Championship on Saturday at 3 p.m., as they visit top-seed Saint Anselm College, a 4-1 winner versus Southern New Hampshire University in Wednesday’s other semifinal. Saint Anselm and Saint Michael’s have met in the previous two Division II championships, with the Purple Knights winning both in overtime.

Duffy and classmate Justin Quenneville (Montreal, Quebec/Stanstead College) paced the hosts with two goals and an assist apiece, while senior captain Brent Hill (Saint Albert, Alberta/Saint Albert Saints) notched three assists. Freshman Derek Jackson (Clinton, N.Y./Gunnery School) stopped 38 shots, including 10 in the extra session, for Saint Michael’s (10-16), which records at least 10 victories for the ninth straight season.

For the third-seeded Chieftains, freshman Matt Pollara (Plymouth, Mass.) scored twice, while senior Brendan Ready (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) added a goal and an assist. Freshman Matt Gorman (Southboro, Mass.) turned aside 36 shots in a relief effort for Stonehill, which completes the season 10-11-1.

In a wild final minute of regulation, Stonehill senior Rob Pascale (South Portland, Maine) gave the visitors a brief 5-4 lead with 35 seconds to go. The Purple Knights then opted to pull Jackson for an extra attacker, and the gamble paid off, as Saint Michael’s tied the game with 20 seconds remaining when a slap shot from Hill from the blue line was tipped in by Duffy. After multiple chances by both sides in overtime, Duffy ended the contest as he crashed the net and beat Gorman glove-side.

Stonehill opened the scoring 4:17 into the contest, but the Purple Knights quickly responded with three goals in a 45-second span, as Quenneville, senior Gavin Faretra (Bow, N.H./Tilton School) and freshman Jared Silver (Montreal, Que./Tabor Academy) lit the lamp. Stonehill pulled junior goaltender Billy Whitfield (Stoughton, Mass.) in favor of Gorman at that point, and Gorman responded by stopping the first 19 shots he faced.

In the meantime, the Chieftains pulled even with a pair of goals late in the first stanza. Quenneville gave Saint Michael’s a 4-3 lead with 20 seconds left in the second period, but Stonehill senior Jesse Hume (Moultonboro, N.H.) tied the game at four early in the third period with the game’s lone power play goal, setting up the late dramatics.

GAME SUMMARY                                          
Stonehill                        3          0          2          0          --5
Saint Michael’s              3          1          1          1          --6

First period: Scoring: 1. STO, Pollara (Vose, Lewis), 4:17. 2. SMC, Quenneville (Geragosian), 6:10. 3. SMC, Faretra (Zimmermann, Anctil), 6:33. 4. SMC, Silver (Girouard, Hill), 6:55. 5. STO, Pollara (Lewis), 11:46. 6. STO, Ready (Watson, Last), 15:27. Penalties: None.

Second period: Scoring: 7. SMC, Quenneville (Hill, Duffy), 19:40. Penalties: Anctil, SMC (interference), :58; Hume, STO (hitting after whistle), 6:03; Faretra, SMC (cross-checking), 13:51.

Third period: Scoring: 8. STO, Hume (unassisted), 3:34 (pp). 9. STO, Pascale (Ready, O’Connell), 19:25. 10. SMC, Duffy (Hill, Silver), 19:40. Penalties: Nerland, SMC (boarding), 2:45; SMC (too many men), 12:50; Vose, STO (obstruction-hooking), 15:11.

Overtime:  Scoring: 11. SMC, Duffy (Quenneville, Watts), 9:19. Penalties: None.

Shots: STO (13 - 11 – 9 – 10 -- 43), SMC (11 – 14 – 11 – 8 -- 44).

Saves: STO – Whitfield (5 shots, 2 saves), Gorman at 6:55 of first (39 shots, 36 saves); SMC – Jackson (43 shots, 38 saves).

For complete box score, click here.

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For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002