Sewell, N.J. — A pair of third-period goals from Rowan defenceman Colton Shan propelled the Profs (6-3-0) to a 4-2 win over the University of Delaware Division 3 men’s hockey team (6-4-2) on Saturday evening (Nov. 10) at Hollydell Ice Arena.
In a scoreless first period, the Blue Hens ran into resistance in both end zones — an aggressive Rowan forecheck made for difficulty on breakouts while stay-at-home blueliner Cameron St. John was a looming presence in the Rowan zone all game. On two occasions in the first period, St. John broke up Delaware scoring chances while strong goaltending from both sides in Cameron Conrad and Gabriel Nadell resulted in a scoreless first period.
Penalty trouble for Delaware early in the second opened the door for Rowan. With Michael Cerrone off for an elbowing minor at 2:53, Rowan’s Reed Pelliconi found Anthony Gallicchio with a drop pass at the top of the zone, and Gallichio fired the puck past Nadell for a top-shelf goal to put the Profs on the board. Delaware defenceman Nick Mangano responded with a top-zone laser of his own at 13:48 to tie the game, but the Profs were far from finished.
Amid four-on-four action in the fourth minute of the third period, Hunter Bello hit Mark DiRenzo for a net-front redirect to put Rowan ahead, 2-1. A minute and a half later, Shan notched his first goal with a slap shot from just inside the Delaware blue line, finding the top right corner off a feed from Zachary Faust at the left half wall.
Down 3-1 in the middle stages of the third period, the Hens crashed the net to get one back. Leading scorer Steven Palomba accounted for his 14th seasonal goal at 12:44 with a net-front wrist shot from a Shane Saladis back-door pass. The Profs re-extended their lead to a pair 32 seconds later when Shan teed up another clapper from the left point.
Nadell saved 36 of 40 shots in defeat, while Conrad recorded 15 saves on 17 shots faced for Rowan.
