This past Friday, the Rowan Men’s Division II hockey team (11-4-2) defeated Georgetown University’s Division II team (4-6) in a non-conference matchup with a final score of 4-2. Rowan, coming off a sweep and series win against Penn State University’s Division II team last week, picked up right where they left off against Georgetown.
Although the Profs looked like the better team, they didn’t pick up a goal in the first period. The second period is where they jumped out in front, notching two goals towards the latter half of the period.
The second goal came on the penalty kill with just less than a minute left in the second, as freshman forward Riley Cappeci put on a clinic as he moved the puck through the defender’s stick and put it past the Georgetown goalie. This is Cappeci’s 10th goal in the season, as he also is a point-per-game player with 14 points in 14 contests and leads the team in goals.
“I saw he was flat-footed, I walked the puck through him, and then I saw over the goalie’s shoulder that I could shoot it far side,” Cappeci said.
In the third, Rowan continued to step on the gas with their offense, as senior captain Nick Thomas almost replicated Cappeci’s goal in the second period, as Thomas burst past two Georgetown defenders and went five-hole past the goalie.
Sophomore goalie Aidan Young got the start against Georgetown.
Young was spectacular in the net and made great saves all game with allowing only two goals. When the first one went in, he didn’t falter and just continued to do what he’s been doing since the start of the game.
“I just needed to go through the same motions that I’ve been going through the first two periods,” Young said. “Just keeping my head in the game, doing the same things, that way I can forget about it right away.”
With three wins in a row now for Rowan, they now look to the next week, where they head up into Virginia for the ACCHL Showcase.
“We’ve been able to progress as a team and force guys to really want to learn, and really want to play,” Young said. “Generally, with the younger team that we have, it’s important to get everybody on the same page.”
Assistant coach Ian Kliewe said that with the win, there are certainly positives to take away, but the team is still working and looking for consistency.
“We moved the puck well, we trusted each other, and we need to keep building on that,” Kliewe. “We’re going to continue to hammer home consistency, three wins are nice, but that’s in the past, all we have to do is continue to look forward.”
The Profs will play three games in three days in the Showcase, as it will run from Nov. 14-16. In those three games, Rowan will take on Virginia Tech, Wake Forrest, and Wilmington.
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