The University of Delaware Division 3 men’s hockey team (14-7-2) displayed end-to-end dominance in a facile 4-1 victory over Rutgers University-Camden at Gold Arena in Newark, Del. on Saturday night (Jan. 20).
Delaware controlled the puck and the pace from the outset, working out of their own zone with little trouble for the duration of the game. At the 4:53 mark, first-line winger Nick Scafidi tapped the first Delaware goal past Rutgers-Camden goalie Dan Flaherty off a rebound from the right edge of the crease. Third-line centre Dylan Garrett contributed the Hens’ second at 9:29, receiving a centering pass in the low slot from Jonathan Madia directly behind the net. Luke Hussey got one back for Rutgers-Camden at 10:13, accelerating into the Hens’ zone up the left side and finding the back of the net over Delaware netminder Gabe Nadell’s left shoulder.
After outshooting the Scarlet Raptors 18-4 in the first period, Delaware kept the pressure on in the second to extend their lead to 3-1. Marty Coverdale notched his twelfth of the season at 3:01 with a successful redirect of a Ryan D’Emelia long-range shot. D’Emelia earned his sixth goal of the year at the 1:12 mark of the third, connecting on a one-timer in the mid-slot via Shane Saladis. The Hens accounted for 53 shots on Flaherty, who saved 49 in defeat. Nadell saved 14 of 15 shots faced, improving to 4-3 on the season.