By Brittany Burke
It was a clash of two state schools as the Blue Devils club hockey team took on the Western Connecticut State University Colonials over the weekend, leading to a 4-3 victory for CCSU.
In a rivalry match, following a losing weekend at Florida Gulf Coast University, the Colonials didn’t hold back, and the Blue Devils worked hard to ensure the much needed win.
The WCSU Colonials have a history and reputation for being a chippy team, and as the athletes took to the ice it was apparent that the third match up of the season for the two teams wasn’t going to be any different.
“They’re really chippy and those games are sometimes fun, but not when we need wins. I played some of those guys in high school and it really is that beef we still have together and it’s never going to die,” said Evan Mink.
Prior to the win for CCSU, the Blue Devils and the Colonials had split, with CCSU taking the first game and WCSU the second, both on WCSU’s home ice in Danbury.
Two goals made by Mink late in the first and early in the second gave CCSU the quick two goal advantage over the Colonials.
“I think he had one of the best games he’s had in a long time. He had some great shifts not just offensively but defensively tracking down pucks, back checking hard even playing the body and the two goals for him were just icing on the cake,” said Head Coach Ben Adams. “We were trying to get him the third toward the end but he just didn’t get that lucky tonight but he just threw pucks at the net and they went in.”
WCSU’s chippiness was the downfall in their loss as the Blue Devils managed to capitalize on more than one of its power play opportunities.
With a Colonial serving time in the box, Mink was able to net the first goal of the night with less than six minutes to play in the period. Mink took a backhanded shot and struck again with the assist from Jon Knobloch with 13:16 to play in the second. The second shot came when CCSU’s Zack Vidmosko was serving a two minute penalty for hitting from behind.
CCSU strived on the power play and penalty kills, uncovering the Colonial’s weakness. Playing well in the attacking zone, CCSU came out with the second power play goal of the game and third unanswered shot, made by Knobloch from Tom Carroll.
“We played a great game, switched up the lines a little bit and a rookie on my line, [Dan] Vasquez had a great game; [Evan] Mink had a great game,” said Knobloch. “We just worked hard and the other lines did the same thing just went out there; tried our best and it paid off.”
WCSU goalie allowed for a fourth and final CCSU goal, made by Eric Blewett to get past him early in the last period.
As Blewett took the shot from Matt Siracusa and Ryan Stanley, the puck sailed past the net minder and between the pipes, resulting in a goal that the goaltender wishes he could get back.
Despite the three goal lead, WCSU refused to finish without a fight. A quick power play goal at 5:08 and another with the man advantage led to the Colonial’s cutting down the Blue Devils’ lead to one with time still remaining.
“I thought they played well. Definitely gave them a little too many chances off of loose pucks, but I think, all in all, we played pretty hard, generated a lot of offense and unfortunately I don’t think the score shows just how lopsided I think the game really was,” said Adams.
The Blue Devils hung on in the final minute to take the win, but that didn’t stop the frustrations from running high on both squads. WCSU’s Michael Espejo broke his stick out of anger for a two minute elbowing call while Knobloch was given a two minute minor for high sticking and a 10 minute misconduct, which led to the Colonials’ final goal of the game.
CCSU plays its final home game next Saturday against NYU following an away game against inner league rival Siena on Friday.
“They’re [Siena] a strong team,” said Mink. “I say they’re a defense first hockey, rolling out three lines so we’re all just going to have to play good. If we win there’s no tomorrow, so we all know that now.”
