Norwell

Aufiero Lifts Stonehill Past Saint Michael’s, 4-3 (OT)

Sophomore Kevin Aufiero’s (Canton, Mass.) goal with 44-seconds remaining in overtime lifted Stonehill College to a key 4-3 victory over Saint Michael’s College in Northeast-10 Conference ice hockey action at the Foxboro Sports Center this evening. Stonehill posted a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal in the overtime session, breaking through with the game winner when senior J.J. Sabin (Milton, Mass./The Tilton School) connected an outlet pass to senior captain Dana Borges (Taunton, Mass./Williston Northampton), who fed Aufiero for his sixth goal of the season that lifted the Skyhawks to their third straight win. Freshman Dan Graham (Billerica, Mass./Williston Northampton School) netted two goals for Stonehill, while Sabin and freshman Robbie Dorgan (Ossining, N.Y.) each dished two assists. Freshman Thomas DePoalo (Mendham, N.J./Morristown Beard School) chipped in with a goal for the Skyhawks. Sophomore Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Mass./Thayer Academy) preserved the win with 40 saves, including 18 in the second period and 14 in a scoreless third period. Sophomore Dave Donzanti (West Chester, Pa./Northfield Mount Hermon) registered 36 stops in goal for Saint Michael’s. The Purple Knights edged the Skyhawks 43-40 for shots on goals for the evening. Saint Michael’s got goals from three different players in the game, starting with sophomore Jeremy Wong (Montreal, Quebec/The Tilton School) in the first period. Senior Justin Castagna (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and junior Ryan Arsenault (Reading, Mass./New Hampton School) each added goals for the Purple Knights. Wong opened the scoring with his first goal of the season 10:27 into the first period, assisted by freshmen Kevin Altidor (Montreal, Quebec/Millbrook School) and Nick Potter (Stoneham, Mass./Brooks School). Stonehill evened the contest as time expired in the first period with Graham’s first of the game off a feed by Dorgan. Graham put the Skyhawks in front 1:39 into the second period, with assists from Sabin and sophomore Stephen Balsamo (Atkinson, N.H./Brewster Academy) on his sixth goal of the season. Saint Michael’s regained the lead with a pair of unassisted markers, first with Arsenault’s sixth goal of the year at 5:28 before Castagna’s first of the year at 11:42. Stonehill knotted the score once again just 22-seconds later when DePoalo scored his first collegiate goal, assisted by Dorgan and freshman Connor Fallon (Weymouth, Mass.), at 12:04. Tasiopoulos and Donzanti kept the game scoreless for the next 41-plus minutes before Aufiero struck for the game winner in overtime. Stonehill (7-8-0, 3-1-0 NE-10) returns to the ice on Wednesday when it hosts Johnson & Wales University at the Foxboro Sports Center for a non-conference matchup to close out its first semester schedule at 7:30 p.m. Saint Michael’s (2-8-0, 0-2-0 NE-10) is off until January 5, when it hosts Southern New Hampshire University for day one of the Doubletree Ice Hockey Classic at 7 p.m. For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks mobile app on iTunes and the Android Market.*Stonehill Athletics