By Brittany Burke

State school rivals CCSU and Western Connecticut State University put on an intense game at Western’s home rink last night, each team retaliating in goals and earning penalties until finally CCSU third and final shot against the odds.

The 3-2 game was fairly clean through the first period, each team only drawing one minor holding penalty a piece. CCSU maintained good puck control and got shots on the net, keeping the puck away from their own zone for as long as they could manage. Even when Western did find the puck it wasn’t for long, and it did not result in any goals. CCSU continued playing together as one unit against a team who was all over the ice.

“My team really helped me out. There was not too many close shots, they were all far out and anytime I let up a rebound they got rid of it,” said goalie Greg Coco. Coco is a transfer to CCSU this semester, already showing off his talent between the pipes making some crucial saves to shut out the Colonials in the first.

The only goal of the period was scored by Joe Dabkowski, assisted by Tom Carroll and Mike DiClemente with seven seconds left in the power play. CCSU maintained their lead and finished the first period with a one goal advantage over Western.

As the second period began it was evident that the game had changed. Western took the ice playing more aggressively than they had in the first causing CCSU to play even harder in retaliation.

With 39 seconds taken off the clock, CCSU player Kevin Butler was sent to the penalty box for roughing, contact to the head, starting a slew of penalties for both CCSU and Western.

Due to Butler’s time in the box Western was able to score on their second power play of the game, tying the score at one after fighting hard against the CCSU defensemen.

The longer the game remained tied the more hostile it became, on the ice and in the stands. There was hooking calls, slashes and tripping penalties all from Western, but at 11:18 CCSU’s Erich Stoneman drew his own penalty, a bench minor, taking him from the bench to the penalty box for two minutes.

Things only escalated when Dabkowski scored his second power play goal of the night, again finding help from DiClemente and Carroll.

The pinnacle of the game was truly the third period, each team beginning with players in the box for a 10 minute game misconduct, and players were only added from there. At any given point within the first few minutes, the penalty box held multiple hockey players.

Dabkowski was sent sailing into the boards after he was checked from behind, tallying on a five minute major and 10 minute game misconduct to Western’s laundry list of penalties shortly after they scored the goal to tie up the game.

When things weren’t going CCSU’s way – they were getting the shots but not connecting with the net – Coco’s voice could be heard throughout the rink shouting encouragement to his teammates, keeping up their momentum and helping them become more aware of the puck.

“It’s good to see Coco stepping up into that role when some of the captains were having some penalty issues,” said coach Ben Adams.

There wasn’t a better time for Coco to be vocal than under the two-minute marker. CCSU had the one-goal lead after Carroll made a shot late in the third off the assist from Dabkowski with 1:53 left, but Carroll was disqualified and given a 10 minute game misconduct. To add insult to injury Dabkowski was then slapped with unsportsmanlike conduct, which put Western at the 3-5 advantage.

Western chose to pull their goalie for the extra man, but was unable to tie, with CCSU continuously clearing the defensive zone.

“There was a lot of animosity between the teams being in state rivals. It was a chippy game and the refs decided to try to step in and make examples of people, and I’m not blaming them. Our guys should’ve been smarter to stay away, but it happened, and it was a good team effort in the third battling back,” said Adams.

CCSU enters the fourth ranking period at NYU on Friday, with the status of Carroll’s eligibility unknown. They’re back home Feb. 6 at 7:40 p.m. against Bryant.