The Delaware Blue Hens Division 2 men’s hockey team was issued a quick exit from the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament on Friday afternoon (Feb. 16), being handed a 3-0 defeat by the Maryland Terrapins at the Virtua Flyers Skate Zone in Pennsauken, N.J.
After battling through a scoreless first period, Maryland drew first blood 2:37 into the second. Ben Friedland crashed the net to redirect a close-range Dominic Sesto chance past Delaware goalie Eric Birnberg for his 14th goal of the season. With just under two minutes remaining in the middle frame, Nick Keppler added another for the Terps, posting up at the right edge of the crease and deflecting a Griffin Connolly shot from the left dot into the Hens’ net.
Down 2-0 through forty minutes, Delaware generated their fair share of chances, but a strong Maryland backcheck and stellar goaltending from Travis Danko kept the Hens scoreless through the third period as well. Two-way defenceman Clark LeDane added a power-play goal for the Terps at 15:36, ripping a one-timer from the top of the left circle directly off a faceoff won by first-line centre Zach Arden, who earned his second assist of the afternoon.
Danko registered a 31-save shutout, while Birnberg stopped 24 of 27 shots faced in defeat.
Having been eliminated from the MACH tournament, the Hens are off until Saturday, Feb. 24, when they face Toledo in the second round of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) National Tournament Southeast Region Qualifier in Lynchburg, Va. Delaware Hockey Night Radio will provide coverage; air time is 5:50 p.m. Eastern.
