Curry Holds Off Men’s Hockey, 5-4

CHARLESTOWN, Mass. – In the opening contest of a home-and-home series, the Suffolk men's hockey team went down to the wire against its Commonwealth Coast rival Curry, but the Colonels outdid the Rams, 5-4, Friday night at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4, Curry 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-9-2, 5-7-1 CCC) | Curry (13-6-1, 7-5-1 CCC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Curry scored early and often to take an early 2-0 lead. Phil Kiss struck twice in less than a two minute span to give the Colonels a two-goal advantage. 

Just 34 seconds after Kiss' second marker of the evening, Suffolk got on the scoreboard as Mikhail Bryan put away a feed from Brian Brooks and Jack Kelly. 

In transition, Joseph Mortillaro knotted the contest at two all with the freshman converting on a breakaway. From the Rams blue line, Sean Henry found Mortillaro coasting into the Colonels zone. The freshman's one-one-with Cody Murch played out in the Rams' favor as the game went to 2-2 at the midway point of the first. 

Curry took advantage on its second power play of the night two minutes later to go ahead, 3-2. Kiss completed his hat trick when Zachary found him wide on Michael Levine's glove side. 

Suffolk came out of the first break on a power play and quickly went on a 5-on-3 opportunity as Curry's Kiss was whistled for high sticking. The Rams did not capitalize on the two-man advantage, however, but did strike on the 5-on-4. With 27 seconds remaining on the power play Bryan snuck the puck past Murch for the second time on the night to make it a 3-3 game just 2:09 into the second stanza. 

Kelly gave the blue-and-gold its first lead of the night 2:19 later. The freshman turned a breakaway into a Suffolk go to make it a 4-3 Rams' game. 

Curry came back, however, with Jarrett Kup scoring 55 seconds to equalize the game and the visitors went wheat 5-4 when Shane Tracy scored an unassisted mark at the 8:50 mark. 

Unlike the previous pair of periods, the third went back-and-forth with neither team earning an edge. 

As time ticked off the clock, Curry was called for the first penalty as Tracey headed to the box for interference. The Rams would not be on the power play for long as Brooks as whistled for slashing 54 seconds later and 4-on-4 play ensued. 

Back at even strength, Suffolk looked to make up the one-goal margin over the final 4:06 of regulation. Curry held the Rams and limited them to just 53 seconds with an extra skater as Chris Glionna pulled Levine. Suffolk could not complete the comeback, however, as the Colonels held on for the 5-4 conference victory. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Levine made 26 saves in the setback.
• Murch had 28 stops in the win. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Kelly led the way for Suffolk with three points on one strike and two handouts.
• Bryan put away two goals for the blue-and-gold with linemate Brooks setting up both of the junior's shots.
• Mortillaro rounded out the Rams' goal scorers, with Levine, Fellows and Sean Henry all dishing out one assist.
• Kiss led the way for the Colonels with a hat trick. Tracey and Kup also found the back of the netting.
• Suffolk outshot Curry, 32-31.
• The Colonels commanded the faceooff circle, 47-26. 

NOTEWORTHY
Kelly's two assists and three points (1g, 2a) mark a career-high for the freshman.   

• Three Rams kept their point streaks intact:
  • Brooks -5 Games- (Seven Points (3g, 5a)
  • Bryan – 3 Games – Four Points (4g, 1a)
  • Kelly  - 3 Games – Four Points (3g, 3 a)
  • Mortillaro – 2 Games – Two Points (1g, 1a)
• Levine recorded his first collegiate assist. 

POST-GAME PIC

COMING UP
Suffolk wraps up the home-and-home series with Curry tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 27 as the Rams visit Max Ulin Rink for a 4:50 p.m. puck drop.