THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (Dec. 5, 2010) – The Maritime hockey team defeated MCHC-opponent Columbia University, 8-4, Friday night at the Parkwood Sports Complex in Great Neck. The win advances the Privateers' record to 10-7 overall and 9-2 in Met Hockey action, which keeps the squad in first place with 18 points going into the winter break. Second-place Wagner (7-0-1, 15 points) has three games remaining before the month-long break.

Maritime quickly jumped out to a 4-0 lead scoring all four goals within 4:29 of each other in the opening period. The first two came back-to-back just 24 seconds apart with freshman Josh Hempel (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch) (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch) scoring on a slapshot and senior Dylan O'Malley-Joyce (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) tapping in a rebound from a Hempel shot. Hempel got the primary assists, while freshman Nick Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By the Sea) picked up the secondary assist.

The next two goals both came on the power play. Junior Dan Tyx (Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville East) scored off a pass from Galli, before freshman Ross Freund (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade)'s (Westbury, N.Y./Chaminade) shot from the point tipped off the goalie's glove and trickled over the line. Hempel got the assist on Freund's goal. The Lions got on the board with a goal late in the first period by Peter Visone.

Visone scored again in the opening minute of the second period to cut Columbia's deficit to two goals, 4-2. Junior Greg Dolan (Floral Park, N.Y./St. Mary's) (Floral Park, N.Y./St. Mary's) tallied Maritime's only goal of the middle period off assists by freshmen Conner Brailsford (Clayton, N.C./Clayton) (Clayton, N.C./Clayton) and Dillion Dolansky (Monroe, N.Y./John S. Burke Catholic). Visone picked up his third goal of the game with 2:46 left to play in the second. The Privateers took a 5-3 lead into the third.

Maritime turned up the heat in the third period, scoring three goals in the opening eight minutes. Tyx scored his second of the day on a shorthanded breakaway after a great pass by freshman Steven Altini (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By the Sea). Altini added another assist on another shorthanded goal, this one by Galli, less than two minutes later. Junior Kyle McGrath (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield Secondary) also assisted that goal. Galli scored again with 12:28 remaining on a power play to give the Privateers an 8-3 lead. Hempel and sophomore James McManus (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) assisted Galli's second goal.

In goal for Maritime, freshman Zach Dietrich (Point Pleasant, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) made 26 saves en route to the victory. Dietrich retains the Met Hockey Conference lead in both goals against average and save percentage.

The Privateers now go into a month-long winter break and return to action on Friday, Jan. 14, when they play host to ACHA D-II NJIT. Game time is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. at the Parkwood Sports Complex in Great Neck, Long Island, N.Y.