Navy Loses in Shootout to Villanova

In the Saturday night game against visiting Villanova University (11-7-1), Villanova's terrific power play led the Ice Cats to a 6-5 shootout victory.

Freshman forward Tom Fick scored on Navy’s first shot, beating Villanova’s goaltender Kevin Healey 45 seconds into the game.  But Villanova rebounded with three power play goals in less than three minutes and took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. 

Alex Kong stretched Villanova's lead to three with an even strength tally at 4:39 of the second period.  Kong’s goal seemed to awaken the Navy team and the Midshipmen rallied with four unanswered goals.  Senior forwards Eric Bowen and Matt Keller scored in the second period, and freshmen forwards Kevin Frederick and Mitch Pulver scored in the third to put Navy up by one.  However, Navy’s lead lasted only 13 seconds as Villanova quickly evened the score at 5.  The remainder of the game , including the overtime period, featured back and forth action but neither team could score.  This resulted in the second shootout in as many nights at McMullen.  Villanova’s first two shooters beat Navy’s Jameson Marshall to give the Ice Cats the victory.

Navy (13-14-3) outshot Villanova 53 to 29 in the contest but ended up with its first shootout loss of the season.  

Navy Hockey is back in action on Thursday at 7:30 PM as ESCHL foe Delaware makes its first trip of the season to Annapolis. 
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
NAVY      1 2 2 0 0 - 5
Villanova 3 1 1 0 1 - 6

First Period
N – Fick 4 (Daniel, Ochalek) 0:45
V – Zoeller 12 (Grudzinski, Bieler) 6:51 (pp)
V – Zoeller 13 (Grudzinski) 8:27 (pp)
V – Haar 9 (DeRenzi) 9:43 (pp)

Second Period
V – Kong 15 (Haar, Montalbano) 4:39
N – Bowen 4 (Daniel, Swezey) 9:20 (pp)
N – Keller 7 (Daniel, Culliton) 12:56 (pp)
 
Third Period
N – Frederick 5 (unassisted) 3:20
N – Pulver 12 (unassisted) 11:15
V – Bieler 6 (Grudzinski) 11:28
 
Overtime
NONE
 
Shootout
V – Karlsson – Goal
N – Swezey – No Goal
V – Kong – Goal
N – Dubinsky – Goal
V – Haar – No Goal
N – Keller – No Goal
 
SAVES
Estevez (NAVY) 5 - - - - 5
Marshall (NAVY) 6 6 6 1 - 19
Healey (Villanova) 14 15 13 6 - 48