The momentum continued to build for the Ice Knights on Friday Feb. 6 as their 3-0 shutout win over the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles was their third in four chances. This is thanks to the efforts of senior goaltender Nick Horrigan. Horrigan––whose fifth shutout performance set a Geneseo record––has allowed just three goals over the past three games.
As one might have surmised from the score, the senior keeper was absolutely flawless. Horrigan gathered 24 saves in a clean 60 minutes, lowering his goals against average to a microscopic 1.71 and his save percentage to .944. To give an idea of just how low those are, Horrigan is on pace to break his own save percentage record that he set last season.
The game could not have been won in earnest, however, if not for the continued offensive renaissance the Ice Knights have carried over from the two previous games. Junior forward A.J. Sgaraglio put the Knights on the right track with his first goal of the season in the closing minutes of the first period with junior forward Ryan Donnelly on the assist.
It took nearly another 20 minutes for Geneseo to extend its lead, but with a helping hand from first-year defender Pat Condon, Donnelly put the puck away straight from the face-off with less than 15 seconds remaining in the second period. Finally, it was a mere 20 seconds into the third that the Ice Knights put the finishing touch on their night with a screaming slap shot from sophomore defenseman Derek Stahl, assisted by sophomore forward Connor Anthoine.
It wasn’t all good news for the Ice Knights, however, as a second period scuffle along the far boards left several players tangled. The end result left junior forward David Ripple missing the remainder of the game. Ripple––who could not move off the ice under his own power nor put any weight on his leg––is questionable for the Ice Knights’ games on Friday Feb. 13 and Saturday Feb. 14.
Assistant coach David Arduin called Ripples’ situation “day-to-day” and had nothing concrete to offer about the injury. He went on to say that it was “tough,” as Ripple had “just started to get going.” Ripples had consecutive game-tying and game-winning goals at SUNY Plattsburgh.
The Ice Knights will have their final home stand of the season on Friday Feb. 13 and Saturday Feb. 14, when they will attempt to even the season series against SUNY Cortland and then seal the sweep against the SUNY Oswego Lakers. The game against the Lakers will also host senior night for the graduating members of the team.