Hockey: Ice Colonels win seventh straight
Eastern heads into winter break on hot win streak
Walter Lesczynski
Issue date: 12/11/08 Section: Sports
The Ice Colonels went into Saturday night's game with Xavier riding high on a six-game winning steak, and after a brutal contest, that streak is now at seven games. They close the first half of the season at 9-7-1, having not lost a game in over five weeks.
"We looked at it as a separation win," coach Mike Sosnowski said. "We've beaten all of the other Ohio Valley teams, and this was the kind of win we needed to put us a step ahead of them."
The game was a crescendo of goals, penalties and pain; the seeds were planted in the relatively quiet first period, fertilized in the second, and bloomed into full-blown war in the third.
The Musketeers were the first on the scoreboard and managed to shut out the Colonels for 20 minutes, ending the first period 1-0. Although there were a few shoves and slashes displayed, no penalties were called on either team.
Things changed rapidly in the second period when freshman Mike Stanisz earned a two-minute penalty for roughing, giving the Musketeers a one-man advantage and the determination to take advantage of it.
No such luck, however, as short-handed goals are becoming an Eastern trademark. Senior Derek Russin tied the score with an unassisted goal, letting the air out of Xavier's power play.
With three minutes left in the period, Aaron "Dudeman" Richnavsky, assisted by Russin, brought the Colonels into the lead to end the period 2-1.
Tensions were building on both teams, and fans could see the rage building up in the Colonels as the period came to a close.
"I think in the next period, they're going to open up the flood gate and put some hurt on these boys," predicted Eastern parent Jim Stecher.
Stecher was not mistaken, as in the second period "all hell broke loose," in the words of one Eastern fan. Both teams cranked up the violence, resulting in a slew of penalties: roughing, hooking, holding, boarding and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Those penalties hurt the Colonels-Xavier tied the game with a power-play goal, then took the lead three minutes later.
"We looked at it as a separation win," coach Mike Sosnowski said. "We've beaten all of the other Ohio Valley teams, and this was the kind of win we needed to put us a step ahead of them."
The game was a crescendo of goals, penalties and pain; the seeds were planted in the relatively quiet first period, fertilized in the second, and bloomed into full-blown war in the third.
The Musketeers were the first on the scoreboard and managed to shut out the Colonels for 20 minutes, ending the first period 1-0. Although there were a few shoves and slashes displayed, no penalties were called on either team.
Things changed rapidly in the second period when freshman Mike Stanisz earned a two-minute penalty for roughing, giving the Musketeers a one-man advantage and the determination to take advantage of it.
No such luck, however, as short-handed goals are becoming an Eastern trademark. Senior Derek Russin tied the score with an unassisted goal, letting the air out of Xavier's power play.
With three minutes left in the period, Aaron "Dudeman" Richnavsky, assisted by Russin, brought the Colonels into the lead to end the period 2-1.
Tensions were building on both teams, and fans could see the rage building up in the Colonels as the period came to a close.
"I think in the next period, they're going to open up the flood gate and put some hurt on these boys," predicted Eastern parent Jim Stecher.
Stecher was not mistaken, as in the second period "all hell broke loose," in the words of one Eastern fan. Both teams cranked up the violence, resulting in a slew of penalties: roughing, hooking, holding, boarding and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Those penalties hurt the Colonels-Xavier tied the game with a power-play goal, then took the lead three minutes later.
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