Newark, Del. — The University of Delaware Division 3 men’s hockey team padded their record to 3-1-1 with a facile 17-3 win over UMBC in Baltimore, Md., on Friday night (Oct. 4) before returning home to Gold Arena and rallying to a thrilling 4-3 decision over Ramapo on Saturday night (Oct. 5).
Friday, Oct. 4 — Delaware 17, UMBC 3
Depth again carried the Blue Hens to victory over the Retrievers, who are fielding a collegiate hockey team this season for the first time since 2017. The Retrievers, just 11 skaters strong, battled to a 2-2 deadlock with Delaware through the first period before the Hens opened the floodgates in the final 40 minutes of their meeting at Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena.
Safwaan Khan led the Blue Hens with five goals and three assists, while Braden Rishell and Ben Kahan notched hat tricks as well. The Hens’ defence limited UMBC to 17 shots on goal, 14 of which James Palmeri saved to earn his first win as a Delaware goalie.
On the UMBC ledger, Ethan Frese scored two goals, Spencer Reiber notched a goal and an assist, and Derek Frazer added two assists. Antoine Green and Sean Brown again shared the goaltending duties, combining to face a whopping 99 shots on goal.
Saturday, Oct. 5 — Delaware 4, Ramapo 3
Despite trailing 2-0 midway through the second period, the Blue Hens battled relentlessly in the third to upend the Ramapo College Roadrunners, 4-3 — sealing victory only in the final 4.5 seconds.
After Delaware goalie Gabe Nadell stopped 16 third-period shots to silence a late Ramapo attack, first-year winger Brandon LaSpina negotiated traffic up the left side of the Roadrunners’ zone in the closing seconds of regulation and connected on a 12-foot wrist shot to secure victory with 4.5 seconds remaining.
LaSpina’s goal punctuated a flurry of activity late in the third, which saw a 2-2 deadlock go unresolved until 3:07 remained. Luke Campomenosi put Ramapo ahead with a coast-to-coast attack that culminated in a 20-foot wrist shot over Nadell’s left shoulder. Not two minutes later, Luke Rich tied the game for Delaware — for the second time — with a shot that bounced in off Ramapo goalie Dennis McGarry’s stick.
Ryan D’Emilia and Safwaan Khan accounted for Delaware’s second-period tallies.
Richard Kimble led the Roadrunners’ charge with a goal and an assist, while Robert Spetz also added a goal.
The Division 3 side travels to Virginia this weekend for a two-game set against Christopher Newport.
