Rowan University Men’s Division II ice hockey team (15-4-2) defeated their rivals Rider University (2-13-1) on Nov. 22, 7-2, in Flemington, New Jersey. Rowan was coming off their trip to the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (ACCHL) Showcase in Virginia, where they played three games in three days. They were able to win all three games. This is now Rowan’s seventh win in a row. 

Heading into the third period, Rider only trailed Rowan by two goals, and with Rowan looking flat in the second period, Rider was looking to flip the entire game around. 

That is, until senior captain Nick Thomas was able to put one behind the net against Rider.

With seven to go in the third, sophomore forward Max Findley was able to get his stick on the puck while entering the offensive zone. Findley pushed the puck, which hit off one of the Bronc’s defenders’ skate, and went right to Thomas, who was able to seal the deal. 

“The guys in the room and the coaches got us fired up in between periods,” Thomas said. “We got a standard to play here, and we weren’t doing that.” 

Shortly after Thomas’s goal, freshman forward Jake McCloud got on the board off a rebound in front of the net. It wouldn’t be a rivalry game if there weren’t any ejections. And with four minutes to go in the game, some frustration was bound to be let out. 

Following McCloud’s goal, and after an icing call in Rowan’s defensive zone, both Rider forward Anthony Prunty and Rowan junior defenseman Carter Wyatt were going at each other. Rowan looked the most dominant in the third period, as they put up 25 shots alone in the third. The Profs destroyed Rider in total shots with 62 compared to the Broncs’ 26. 

Although the Profs started strongly, with three goals, freshman forward Griffin Meyer started the first period party of goals as he buried a backhander with the assist from junior forward Daniel Duffy. 

“That was a big goal for us,” said Meyer. “We need to keep winning, so it’s just getting the wheels under us to keep us going.”

Meyer had tons of family and friends in attendance, to whom he thanks.

“If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here where I am today,” Meyer said.

 Despite the turnovers and rocky second period, Rowan looked much faster than Rider, and overall, the better team.

“Hockey’s an honest sport, and when you cheat it, things don’t work out,” head coach Brien Bennett said.  “If you’re playing an honest game and you do the right things, and you work harder for the guy next to you, it tends to go the right way.”  

The Profs will only have two games in the month of December, both being at home. They look to face Montclair State University at their home of the Hollydell Ice Arena on Dec. 6.