By Chris Rogers-Spatuzzi
James Madison center Sam Stone skated toward Maryland’s goal. With an open lane, he took the shot and it whizzed into the back of the net. Goal. It was Stone’s fourth goal of the night, and it put the Dukes up 7-4 with 1:55 left in the game, effectively ending the Terrapins hopes for a late comeback.
Stone would add another goal a minute later and the Terps Division III ice hockey team would end up losing 8-4 on Saturday night, in a game that started out very promising for them.
James Madison struck first, after a lucky ricochet set up an open shot for Mason Hauser just a minute and a half into the game. However, the Terrapins looked dominant after that, putting constant pressure on the Dukes’ defense throughout the first period. Maryland’s Jason Winik had a wide open shot and made it with 10:36, and then scored again on a power play with 5:14 left to put the Terps up 2-1. It seemed that they would be able to dominate every aspect of the Dukes’ game.
However, their dominance was short-lived. After Zamboni issues lengthened the first intermission, the Dukes came out onto the ice looking like a new team, and the Terrapins had trouble maintaining control of the puck. Three consecutive scores put the Dukes up 4-2 with two minutes remaining in the period. The Terps, meanwhile, took several shots at the goal, all of which were blocked by the James Madison goalie. It wasn’t until Drew Danick scored on a penalty shot with 1:41 left that Maryland was able to draw within one. That changed twenty seconds later, however, when James Madison scored once again, taking a 5-3 lead into the third period.
The story was much of the same in the final period. The Terps couldn’t seem to get in a groove, and the Dukes dominated possession once again. Winik scored another goal for Maryland with 13:52 left, but that would be the only bright spot for them in the third period. Three more James Madison goals would seal the Terps’ fate in their final game of the fall semester.
The biggest bright spot for Maryland was freshman Winik, whose three goals doubled his season total to six.
“I felt really good out there,” Winik said. “The other team was leaving me wide open, and my two wingers helped me capitalize on that.”
But despite the frustrating loss, many on the team still feel optimistic about their chances when they return from break.
“It’s a tough loss,” freshman Brendan Dwyer said. “We can hang with that team, and I really hope we get a chance at them again.”
The Terrapins’ next game will be at home against George Mason on January 30.
