Colonials Sent Home Unhappy on Homecoming Weekend
Oct. 25, 2004
In their toughest test to date, Endicott's high-flying Gulls battled back from a first-period deficit and beat the Colonials of Western Connecticut State University, 4-2, during Homecoming weekend last Saturday (Oct. 23). The come-from-behind win kept the Gulls undefeated (4-0) through the first two weeks of the season as they turn toward the iron of their schedule, beginning with the East Coast Rangers next Saturday and MIT the following weekend.
Like many collegiate teams trying to adapt to a renewed NCAA emphasis outlawing clutching, grabbing and high hits, the Gulls again struggled with penalties, and were whistled for nine minors altogether compared to seven against the Colonials. Fortunately, the tireless penalty killing of forwards Joe Dudek, Adam Pardaledis, Mark Vaughan, Mike Tonucci, and Dennis Uhlman, as well as steady defense from Jeff Lallier, Mike Freheely, Scott Vaughan, Mike Ripley, and Derek Gagnon, and solid goaltending from junior Jeff Pardue kept Endicott in the game.
Western Connecticut drew first blood, though, at 2:40 of the opening period. Colonial freshman Tim Medeiros got a step on Scott Vaughan at the Western Connecticut blue line, and raced the length of the ice before snapping off a backhander the grazed Pardue's left shoulder, caught the left post and ricocheted into the net for a 1-0 lead. At the 7:01 mark, power forward Mike Manfredi evened the score with a power play goal for the Gulls. Taking a pass from Scott Vaughan behind the Western Connecticut net, Manfredi calmly walked in front and slipped a forehand behind Colonial goalkeeper Steve Grota. The Colonials, however, weren't done. With 4:32 left in the opening period, senior Geoff Dumas capitalized on an Endicott miscue and burst in alone on Pardue, feathering the puck behind the sliding goalie after opening him up with a quick deke to his forehand.
The Gulls drew even in the second period, with the teams skating 4-on-4, when freshman Chris Garofalo made a nice shift at his own blue line, skated across center ice and wristed a quick shot on Grota. The Colonial keeper made the initial stop, but Garofalo kept charging, and buried the rebound to knot the game at 2-2. In the third period, Endicott freshman Mike Ripley took the wind out of the Colonials sails with a spectacular shorthanded tally. Anticipating perfectly, Ripley stepped into a passing lane in the Endicott zone, intercepted the puck and pushed hard up the right wing after the Colonial defense backed off. Dodging the defense with a slick 1-on-1 move, Ripley fired a rocket into the top left corner over Grota's blocker to give the Gulls their first lead of the game. Three minutes later, Mark Vaughan added the insurance goal, after Garofalo dug the puck out of a scramble in the slot. Vaughan collected the pass from Garofalo, drew Grota out of the net, and roofed the puck for the game's final 4-2 margin.
The next home game for Endicott comes on Saturday, Oct. 30, against the East Coast Rangers at the Pingree School in Hamilton. Game time is 7 p.m.