Before going into winter break, the Suffolk men’s hockey team started off the season a mere 3-5-1. Since Dec. 7, the Rams have played an additional six games, with a 2-4 record.
Out of the past six games, none have them have been conference games for Suffolk, who remain 2-2-1 in the ECAC.
The Rams started off the break strong with a 4-1 victory over Franklin Pierce. After going down 1-0 early in the first, Suffolk scored four unanswered goals to pick up the road victory. Goal scorers included Dan Mazzei, Stanton Turner, Mike Cherpak, and Tim Sprague.
Special teams were also on display in this game as Suffolk managed to score on the power play and on the shorthand. The Rams also killed off three power play chances from Franklin Pierce.
The following game was by far the hardest to watch this season for the men’s hockey team. Against a talented UMass Boston team, Suffolk fell by a score of 10-1, yes, 10-1. UMass was only ahead by one goal after one period, and then exploded for seven in the second. After tacking on two in the third period, the final score stood with the Beacons having a double-digit night on the scoreboard.
The next matchup saw Suffolk hosting nearby Tufts University. Although the team was against a different club, the poor play continued. At the end of the first period, Tufts was ahead 3-0, converting on two power play chances. Early in the second, Tufts added another to increase the lead to four. Suffolk did add a power play goal of its own, scored by Dan Mazzei, his fourth of the year. A scoreless third period resulted in a 4-1 loss for the Rams.
With things not going its way, the only thing to do for the club is to pick their heads up and find a way to play better hockey. That is exactly what they did in the following game, a rematch against Tufts just three days after the 4-1 defeat.
This time, Suffolk was the one on top of the scoreboard after the first period. Two quick goals by Steve Colomey and Charlie McGinnis helped the Rams jump out to an early lead. Tufts added a power play goal before the end of the period, making the score 2-1.
In the second period, Tufts converted another power play against the Rams, evening up the game at two-a-piece. The score remained that way until the third period. In that decisive period, Tufts, to no one’s surprise, scored yet another power play goal giving them the lead early on in the third. The next two goals would belong to Suffolk, including a power play goal of its own. The two goals would be enough as the Rams finally found the win column since the victory at Franklin Pierce.
Unfortunately for the Rams, the winning trend did not continue. The next two games resulted in another two losses for the club, being outscored by a margin of 10-5.
It is clear that this hockey team does have talent, but lacks in the special teams department. The defense needs to start playing as one and helping out the goaltenders for Suffolk. This team has allowed quite a few more goals than they have put up so far this year, and the tides need to change quickly with the most crucial part of the season in the future.
Of the final nine games the Ram’s have left on the schedule, all of them are conference games. The team’s overall record (5-9-1) might not be so impressive, but having a 2-2-1 record in the conference in not a terrible spot to be in.
If the men and Coach Chris Glionna want to make a push at the playoffs, the time to start is now. These final nine games will be a real test to see if these men have what it takes to want it more than the other team does. The next game is Jan. 25 against Curry College.
