FINAL from Appleton: SLU 6, Sacred Heart 3

FINAL: SLU 6, SHU 3

SHU Dave Jarman scored near buzzer.

Heading down for interviews.

Third Period notes

Power play for SHU the rest of the game two minutes left.

Penalty killed.

McKenzie penalty - elbowing.

Penalty killed. SLU kind of just winding down for the most part. The game has slowed considerably this period.

SHU on power play.

NOTE: Rick Carden's goal was the first of his career.

SECOND PERIOD IMPRESSIONS

Um, what just happened there? Six goals were scored — 4 from SLU, 2 by SHU — in the second period. St. Lawrence is crushing the power plays. They are two for five right now, while SHU missed on three chances.

Mike McKenzie is having a great game so far. He has a goal and two assists and is rapidly closing in on 100 career points.

Pete Child's hat trick is the first of his career. The sophomore defensemen scored two in the frame, including one power play.

What else? This has to be the most efficient and deadly offensive output so far this season for the Saints. They're controlling the puck, taking good shots and outplaying the Pioneers tonight.

This may be as good as over. St. Lawrence hasn't given up more than four goals in a game, much less a period this year.

Scoring

SLU 6, SHU 2

First period: 1, SLU, McKenzie (Flanagan, Hughes), 6:24; 2, SLU, Child (Cunningham), 18:17 (4-on-4).

Second period: 3, SHU, Delong (Stretch, Jarman), 2:46; 4, SLU, Child (Hughes, Vermeulen), 5:16 (pp); 5, SLU, Carden (Pitsikoulis, Bollig), 7:59; 6, SHU, Johnson (Miniaci), 9:21; 7, SLU, Child (McKenzie), 9:51; 8, SLU, D. Keller (Caister, McKenzie), 17:53 (pp).

Goalies: SHU, St. Onge (20 shots-16 saves), Legatto, 12:00 (7-5); SLU, Moss (13-11).

END of Period

Second period notes

Derek Keller score McKenzie assist (pp) 17:43.

Penalty SHU too many men

Penalty killed... 4 minutes left in second

Johnson picks up anther penalty - SLU PP

PETE CHILD HAT TRICK... 9:51

Moss lets one trickle by off a rebound... couldn't quite kick it with his right skate. Goal goes to Nick Johnson 9:21.

Sacred Heart switches goalies.

RICK CARDEN SCORE - 7:51

CHILD SECOND GOAL (HUGHES ASSIST) - PP - 5:16 INTO SECOND

Crossbar hit by Hughes.

SHU penalty - Laurysen - 4-on-3 SLU

Flanagan runs into goalie, McKenzie gets into it with Bailer... both in the box now. 4-on-4 for two minutes. They're still jawing in the box.

GOAL SHU - Tipped in front, got by Moss. Delong from Stretch and Jarman, 2:46

Penalty killed - all even now.

SLU starts on Power play.

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Scoring

SLU 2, SHU 0

First period: 1, SLU, McKenzie (Flanagan, Hughes), 6:24; 2, SLU, Child (Cunningham), 18:17 (4-on-4).

FIRST PERIOD IMPRESSIONS

Goalies: SHU, St. Onge (12 shots-10 saves); SLU, Moss (8-8).

Two goals, three penalty kills and some great goal-keeping from Moss (once again) is not a bad way to start. Kyle Flanagan and Mike MicKenzie are both playing brilliantly. Flanagan's pass to McKenzie on the first goal was sensational. He dumped just right of goal, holding it as long as he could to draw the defender and the goalie to the left side of the net. He hit McKenzie on the right for a wide-open goal.

Pete Child's score came from the point on a slap shot to the lower right blocker. It was assisted by Jeremiah Cunningham.

St. Lawrence will start the second period on a 1 minute, 11 second power play carryover.

SLU has come out the sharpest and most energized yet this season. They are playing near top level. The only negative is three penalties in the frame. Max Mobley and Alex Curran each had a hooking penalty and SLU took a too-many-men penalty.

Sacred Heart is playing more on emotion than skill it seems, and they aren't doing a very good job controlling the puck. What shots they've gotten have been good, but not enough of them to make a significant threat at this point, especially with Moss looking like he's on again tonight.

END OF FIRST PERIOD

First Period Notes

A little shoving going on. Sacred Heart not happy. Penalty on Corey Laurysen. 5-on-3 SLU for 27 seconds.

PETE CHILD NAILS SLAP SHOT FROM POINT - 2-0 SAINTS 18:17.

Penalty on SHU - Nick Johnson just 27 seconds into the PP - 4-on-4 for basically the rest of the period.

Penalty on SLU - Too many men - Marsh not happy. Two minutes. Marsh is furious on the bench.

Penalty killed. SHU didn't take but two shots... maybe. Great job by SLU.

Penalty on Curran for hooking. Two minutes pp for SHU.

A couple nice saves by both goalies through the first period. Six minutes left. SHU going with lots of speed. Bogosian is out of the lineup. Probably has the flu, I didn't notice before the game and no one alerted me to it. Will ask afterward.

10 minutes left in the first. St. Lawrence looks much better than SHU so far.

Moss another nice save... this with the glove. Still 1-0 Saints.

Moss with an incredible kick save off a rebound shot from back boards.

FLANAGAN GREAT PASS TO MCKENZIE - EASY GOAL, 6:24

Penalty killed. Nice job by Moss and Flanagan this one.

Moss makes a good save on a rocket at point-blank range.

Saints on penalty kill.

Penalty on Max Mobley - Hooking.

McKenzie missed just wide on a good looking shot. SLU comes out looking very good.

We are underway.

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Pregame

SHU's Nick Johnson was already jawing with SLU players during warm ups. Not sure if the Pioneers have a reputation, but this game already feels intense... at least for the players.

The fans are still trickling in, but it feels a little empty. Perhaps everyone has the flu. Petizian told me SLU has 190 cases. Clarkson's volleyball team didn't have enough to play in a regional tournament and canceled the match.

STARTERS UPDATE

For St. Lawrence: Mike McKenzie, Jeremiah Cunningham and Kyle Flanagan are the starting forwards. Curran, Vermeulen and Bollig will play on the second line.

Sacred Heart STARTERS

Forwards: Matt Gordon, David Berube, Evan Mladenoff

Defense: Chris Bailer, Paul Ferraro

Goalie: Olivier St. Onge (Coming off a 30-save performance)

SLU STARTERS

Forwards: Alex Curran, Travis Vermeulen, Brandon Bollig (Mike McKenzie, Jeremiah Cunningham and Kyle Flanagan are on the second line.)

Defense: Jeff Caister, Derek Keller.

Goalie: Robby Moss.

OFFICIALS: Refs: Ale Dell, Andy O'Brien; Assistants: William Lyons, Scott Prim.

The long trip up from Watertown seems to be getting longer by the day. It rained the whole way and I'm contemplating buying sled dogs even more. The winter drive will not be fun.

The women's team beat Yale 4-0.

Game time is still about two hours away, but I have some updates:

Robby Moss will start in goal tonight.

Drewiske should be in the lineup and see the ice. He missed a few games with a knee injury.

Sacred Heart named its captains today. They are: Corey Laurysen (C) and Matt Gordon (A). This was so late-notice that the Pioneers trainer needed to use the St. Lawrence sewing machine to stitch on the 'C' and the 'A'. How about that? I suspect this was because of the late coaching change. Sacred Heart just hired CJ Marottolo for the season.

Mark Armstrong said he wants a follow up to his "Get to Know a Saint" feature. Maybe he'll drop some Nelly Furtado on us this time. "Promiscuous Girl" anyone, anyone? Bueller?