Rutland, VT – Senior Kirk Bolduc (Lewiston, ME) collected four points (one goal, three assists) to lead the Castleton State College men's ice hockey to an 8-1 victory over Southern Maine in Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) East action on Friday night at Spartan Arena.
The Spartans improve to 8-7-5 overall (6-5-3 ECAC East). The Huskies fall to 8-10-2 (5-7-2 ECAC East).
Castleton converted on back-to-back power play tries early in the first to take a commanding 2-0 lead.
At 3:14, Bolduc ripped a slapshot from the point and freshman Josh Harris (Torrance, CA) banged home the rebound past Southern Maine goaltender Tim Gerrish (Albany, NY) for his sixth of the season. Moments later (6:42), Stuart Stefan (Delhi, Ont.) tallied his team-leading 14th goal of the season slipping a shot past Gerrish for a 2-0 advantage. Harris and Bolduc were credited with assists on the score.
Freshman Brett Zeggil (Pricevill, Ont.) capped off the three-goal first period finding the back of the net at 9:32 firing a wrist shot over Gerrish's blocker for his second of the season.
Castleton added cushion room late in the second scoring two goals just one minute and 33 seconds apart.
Bolduc picked up his third point of the night at 16:32 snapping a wrist shot by Gerrish just inside the post, glove side, for his seventh of the season. Shortly after (19:05), Lindsay Gullet (Wawanesa, Man.) connected on a one-timer from Stefan in the high slot for a 5-0 Castleton lead. Bolduc assisted on the tally picking up his fourth point of the contest.
In the third, Zeggil notched his second goal of the night at 3:53 for a 6-0 advantage past Southern Maine backup goaltender Mason St. Hilaire (Saco, ME).
At 8:56, Dan Rautenberg (Cape Elizabeth, ME) broke up Arthur Hollinger's (Homer Glen, IL) shutout bid firing a shot past the keeper on the power play - seventh goal of the season - to make it 6-1.
Castleton responded with back-to-back goals to push the lead to 8-1.
Eric Curtis (Rockford, MI) nailed home his own rebound under the right pad of St.Hilarie at 12:52 for his second goal of the season and Stefan followed with a power play goal at 14:56, second goal of the contest.
Hollinger made 20 saves while Gerrish stopped 36 shots. In a backup role, St. Hilaire made 12 saves.
The Spartans return to action tomorrow against the University of New England at Spartan Arena with the puck scheduled to drop at 4:00 p.m. The Huskies travel to Skidmore tomorrow for a 4:00 p.m. start.
