Despite a mediocre opponent, and play that was at times sloppy, the men's ice hockey team debuted with a win Sunday against Suffolk University. Sophomore Mike Carceo led the offense with a hat trick, and freshman goalie Ben Crapser made 25 saves as the Jumbos soundly thumped Suffolk 7-2.
After sophomore standout Carceo netted the first two goals of the game, the Rams cut the lead in half on a goal from co-captain Evan Crockford. The game was close only briefly, however, as the Jumbos scored five consecutive goals to take a commanding lead.
"Suffolk had a couple of wins already [this season], so it was good to put them away and send a message," senior tri-captain Scott Hayes said.
Defensively, Suffolk's strategy was to shut down sniper Jason Boudrow. This afforded Carceo and tri-captain Natan Obed frequent scoring opportunities, and they didn't miss. Carceo scored all three of his goals in the first 24 minutes of play, and Obed helped the cause with two of his own. Even Boudrow, who Suffolk frequently shadowed, scored four points with two goals and two assists.
"A lot of teams are going to key on Boudrow," coach Brian Murphy said. "Continuing what Natan and Mike did on Sunday is a key to our season."
Standout freshman forward Pat Byrne and sophomore Rob LaQuaglia helped the cause with two assists apiece. Tri-Captain blue-liner Dan Mahoney, Dan Reinhard, Justin Picone, and Tim Havern also assisted on goals to round out the Jumbos scoring.
Coach and players alike were satisfied with the performance. "You win a game and you're happy. It's good to get started right," Murphy said. "This was an improved squad since last year, and it's great to get your first win so early."
Hayes was pleased with the team's mental approach. "We played hard out there and brought a lot of intensity to the ice."
Another encouraging sign for the Jumbos was Crapser. He saved 25 shots in his collegiate debut, keeping the game out of Suffolk's reach.
"Crapser played really well," Murphy said. "Suffolk has three or four guys who know how to put the puck in the net. We had some defenses lapses and Ben made four or five lights-out saves. If those go in, it's a whole different hockey game."
"Crapser looked really comfortable in the net," Hayes said.
While the Jumbos won easily, everyone saw room for improvement. Tufts was 1-4 on the power play, which is not a terrible average, but Murphy thought key chances were blown. "The power play needs some tweaking," he said. "It was sloppy at times. We could have created many more opportunities."
The team also witnessed a lack of intensity as the game waned. "It got ugly in the third period," Murphy said. "We were far too sloppy with the puck and gave them a shot to get right back in the game."
The focus now shifts to this weekend's Coca-Cola Invitational, where the Jumbos will play a 1-3 Stonehill team. Despite Stonehill's record, the competition will likely be better than the season opener.
"Stonehill is tough at their place," Mahoney said. "They are an improved team and far better than their [sub .500] record. They have a new coach, a guy with high standards. They will be a tough opponent for us. It should be a telling game in a lot of ways."
After that, the schedule will only get more difficult, with the team taking on both ECAC and NESCAC powerhouses. The Jumbos remain confident nonetheless.
"We have three good lines that can match up against anyone in the league," Hates said. "We have a tough defense. We think we can have this much success throughout the entire season."
