West Chester, Pa. — Despite a valiant 60-save effort from Graham Burke keeping Salesianum in contention with a much faster and stronger West Chester East team, Salesianum (6-7-1) fell short to the Vikings (10-1-4) in a narrow 2-1 decision on Monday evening (Jan. 28) at Ice Line after senior captain Nick Castura’s game-winning goal for East with 19 seconds remaining.
After Burke registered his 60th save of the game on a Richard Mullineaux shot from close range, Castura corralled the rebound and launched the puck into the Salesianum net over Burke’s glove from 15 feet away to seal victory for the Vikings and to record his 21st goal of the season.
Salesianum managed to get the early jump on East, scoring on their first entry into the Vikings’ zone. Freshman centre Logan Downs chipped the puck in from above the East blue line, chased it down to the right corner behind the goal line, and set up Johnny Lee with a back-door pass. Lee beat Vikings goalie Joey Galitski with a stick-side wrist shot just 21 seconds in, and after Cole Soster tied the game for the Vikings with a net-front redirect late in the first period, both teams were held scoreless — Salesianum on the breakout, West Chester East on the doorstep — until Castura’s game-winner.
With leading scorer Ethan Scharp out of action due to illness, Salesianum was kept to just 15 shots on goal.
Salesianum returns to Ice Line on Friday (Feb. 1) when they take on Downingtown East, while the Vikings take on Rustin next Friday (Feb. 8).
St. Mark’s 13, Marple-Newtown 3
Three players recorded hat tricks for the St. Mark’s Spartans (8-5-2) in their 13-3 rout of Marple-Newtown (0-13-1) at the Patriot Ice Center in Newark, Del. Defenceman Joey Centrone led the spartans with four goals, while the Ralsten brothers — Lance and Will — scored three apiece. Kelly Stroik added a goal, as did freshmen Sean Pelillo and Kylee Schmitz.
