Following a 4-1 win over Pitt-Johnstown, the University of Delaware Division 3 men’s hockey team (14-7-2) split a weekend two-game set with the Division 2 West Virginia Mountaineers (8-6-1) in Morgantown, W. Va.

On Saturday evening (Jan. 13) at the Morgantown Ice Center, the Blue Hens came out guns blazing, reeling off four first-period goals and keeping West Virginia just enough at bay throughout en route to a 10-5 victory.  Marty Coverdale led the Hens with a hat trick, while seven other Delaware players accounted for a goal each.  Among them was Shane Saladis, who also notched a pair of third-period assists as the Hens edged clear of the Mountaineers after tempers boiled over with just under nine minutes to go.  A pair of misconducts assessed to Alex Ventura and Joe Weindling brought about an altercation which saw Delaware’s Jonathan Madia and West Virginia’s Alex Evans both receive game disqualifications for fisticuffs.  In all, a combined 95 penalty minutes were assessed to both teams.

Justin Sierocinski stopped 40 of 45 shots faced in victory, while Mountaineers goalie Matt Meyer could only handle 18 of the 28 shots on goal offered up by Delaware.

Not even eleven hours after the first game concluded, Nick Scafidi put the Hens on the board 12:42 into the first period of the second game, but West Virginia exacted revenge in a big way through the second period and the first 10-1/2 minutes of the third with six unanswered goals en route to a 7-2 win over Delaware.  Alex Ventura’s hat trick brought his seasonal goal total to 16, most among the Mountaineers.  Corey Calendrillo was the only other goal scorer for Delaware in defeat, while Sierocinski was relieved in net by Gabriel Nadell 4:27 into the third period.  Once again, West Virginia outshot Delaware, 35-18.

The Blue Hens return home to face the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors on Saturday, Jan. 20.  Game time at the University of Delaware Gold Arena is slated for 8:30 p.m.; radio coverage will begin on Delaware Hockey Night Radio at 8:15 p.m.