Courtesy Trinity Sports Information

Box Score

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – The Trinity men’s ice hockey team’s run through the postseason continued Wednesday evening, as the Bantams posted a 7-3 win over UMass Dartmouth in the opening round of the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament at Hetland Arena. Trinity out-hustled the Corsairs from the start, scoring the first three goals of the game on rebounds and racing to a 7-0 lead before surrendering three scores in the final period.

Senior forward Matt Crum (Clearwater, Fla.) and freshman forward Adam Houli (Howell, N.J.) recorded a goal and an assist apiece to help Trinity win its fourth straight game and improve to 16-10-2. The Bantams advance to the quarterfinal round against the Elmira College Soaring Eagles on Saturday, March 15 at 7 p.m. The Corsairs, ranked No. 14 in the nation, close the year at 18-9-1.

Trinity Head Coach David Cataruzolo, in his first year at the helm after nine seasons as an assistant, recorded his first NCAA Tournament victory. “Things seem to happen fast this time of year, but we have been able to keep our focus on defense, limiting second chances, while being opportunistic on offense,” said Cataruzolo. “I grew up in these types of rinks,” stated the Watertown, Mass. native. “They allow a team to score from pretty much anywhere. It’s a rarity for us to score that many, but it was nice. The puck seemed to bounce our way today. I thought it could have gone either way after the first period. This was an extremely tough place to play but also a fun atmosphere for our players and fans.”

Trinity took control of the game with five goals in the second period to turn a 1-0 lead into a 6-0 advantage at the second intermission. Senior co-captain forward Dan Maturi (North Kingstown, R.I.) scored on a rebound of a shot by Crum 2:10 into the second, and junior forward Chris Oetting (Katonah, N.Y.) did the same on a shot by Houli at the 8:15 mark. After both teams avoided the penalty box for the opening 30 minutes, UMass Dartmouth committed three infractions over the next 4:11, and the Bantams took advantage with a pair of power plays goals. Crum scored the first at the 11:13 mark of the second, stuffing the puck between the legs of Corsair junior goalie Jeff Green (Medway, Mass.), and Houli wristed in a shot from the left face-off circle with 6:19 left in the period. Trinity junior defenseman Chris Diozzi (Belmont, Mass.) added Trinity’s fifth goal of the frame with 3:15 on the clock on a one-timer from Crum for his second helper and third point of the period. The Bantams outshot the Corsairs, 14-6, over the second 20 minutes.

Trinity had started the scoring when junior co-captain forward Ryan Masucci (Winthrop, Mass.) punched in a rebound after a slapshot by Houli 2:10 into the contest. The Corsairs put 10 shots on Trinity freshman goalie Wesley Vesprini (Lexington, Mass.) in the opening stanza, but Vesprini stopped them all including one-on-one chances by freshman forward Billy Manning (Stoughton, Mass.) with 2:40 left in the period and senior forward Paul Garabedian (Belmont, Mass.) with 21 seconds on the clock. Trinity finished with a slight edge in shots with 11 in the first frame.

After a fourth Bantam goal off a rebound, this time by senior Ross Grubin (Newington, Conn.), UMass Dartmouth kept their fans in the building with three goals on six shots in the third period. Garabedian a nice move from right to left and shot over the right shoulder of Vesprini 10:52 into the third period, and netted a short-handed marker at the 12:03 mark. Corsair junior forward Nick Paquin (Warwick, R.I.) scored the final goal of the game on the second of two assist tonight by sophomore defenseman Graeme Bourne (Redlands, Calif.).

Diozzi and Masucci each finished with a goal an an assist for the Bantams. Vesprini stopped 19 shots in goal and held the Corsairs scoreless for the first 50:52 of the game. Green made 19 saves over two periods and freshman Colin Tracy (Medford, Mass.) had three saves in the third frame for UMass Dartmouth. The Corsairs were 0-for-4 on the power play.

“Our defensemen did a great job, as they have all season, of limiting their chances,” stated Vesprini. “I was able to see every puck coming at me. We knew they were good at using their small rink to their advantage, but we were ready for it. We’ve been great on the penalty kill all year.”