The Colby Echo

Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Sports

The Mules aim to improve on their 1-3 record when they take on Skidmore College and Castleton State at this weekend's home opener games.

The men's ice hockey team started the season at a blistering pace with a split in Boston against difficult ECAC East opponents University of Massachusetts-Boston and Babson College on Nov. 16 and 17. Captain Ryan Chrenek '08 and assistant captains and defensive pairing Arthur Fritch '08 and Joe Rothwell '08 lead the squad this season.

The team returns a wealth of experienced players, but the departure of Ben Grandjean '07 left an open competition for goalie in the preseason. Heralded recruit Cody McKinney '11 and returning net minder Andy Cook '09 were considered to be the preseason favorites entering the season and both saw action over the weekend, although Dean Feole '09 played in the first game of the Face-off Classic. Each goalie played well and showed that the Mules will have exceptional depth in the net this season along with a potent scoring punch.

In its first game of the season, Colby took on UMass-Boston at Clark University. Possibly showing some signs of rust and adjusting to a first-year goalie with McKinney in his first collegiate game in net, the Mules allowed UMass-Boston to jump out to a 2-0 first period lead. Matt Atsoff started off the scoring with an unassisted goal at 6:57 of the first period when play had been reduced to four skaters for each team. Zach Baron added another goal at 8:53 to give UMass-Boston a late 2-0 lead. Fortunately for the Mules, Mike Butler '08 scored off of an assist from Eric Simmons '10 and Matt Strickland '10 to bring the Mules within 2-1 at the end of the period. During the intermission, Coach Jim Tortorella fired up the team, and the Mules struck three times in the second period. T.J. Kelly '08 scored at the 2:06 mark assisted by Will Hartigan '11, who registered his first point at Colby. Continuing from its previous power play success (Colby was ranked first in power play percentage in Division III last year), Joe Rothwell '08 tied the game with a goal on the man advantage with assists coming from Fritch and Kelly. After a Mule penalty late in the period, Ryan Chrenek '08 showed why he was elected captain when he scored the game winning, short-handed goal with 19:50 left in the second period. Atsoff notched his second goal of the game late in the third period for UMass-Boston, but McKinney shut the door, and the Mules moved to 1-0 on the season with a 4-3 win over UMass-Boston. Colby out shot the opposition 33 to 16, in front of a cozy 325 fans, to win the game versus a difficult and experienced opponent.

Continued...

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