Newark, Del. — Penalty trouble early in the third period spelled defeat for the University of Delaware Division 1 men’s hockey team (2-4-0) on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 20), as the Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy edged away to a 4-3 win over the Blue Hens before a sizeable crowd at Fred Rust Arena.
With the Hens up 3-2 after two periods, but on the shorthanded side of a 4-on-3 in the fourth minute of the third period due to cross-checking minors assessed to Harrison Chuma and Mike Zidansek and a further unsportsmanlike conduct penalty assessed to Harrison Good, the Midshipmen were availed with a prime opportunity to tie the game. Alexander Vandenberg did just that with an unassisted power-play goal 4:16 into the final frame.
The Mids kept their momentum up sufficiently through the middle stages of the period to kill off a full two minutes of 5-on-3 play. With 2:13 remaining, Newark, Del. native Derek Golembrosky hustled to gain a clear path to the Delaware net and beat Blue Hens goalie Stephen East off a Joseph Kelly feed, securing a 4-3 victory for Navy after an 8-3 defeat the night before.
Zidansek accounted for two of Delaware’s goals, including a top-shelf cannon from the top of the left circle to put the Hens up 3-2 late in the second period, while Mike Nisky added one as well. Jakob DeFares and Chris Mazzella both recorded two assists as well.
Thatcher Givens saved 29 of 32 shots in victory for Navy, while East made 35 saves on 39 shots faced.
Delaware will travel to West Chester on Saturday (Oct. 27) for the second half of a seasonal home-and-home series with the Golden Rams.
