THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (Sept. 30, 2010) – The Maritime hockey team began the 2010-2011 season off with a strong 4-3 victory over Hofstra on Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Parkwood  Sports Complex in Great Neck, N.Y. The very next day the squad took on Division-II opponent NJIT in Newark, N.J. and lost by the score of 7-4, to open the year with a 1-1 record.

The Pride scored the opening goal on Saturday on a first period power play, but Maritime responded just three minutes later when freshman Nick Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By the Sea) tallied the Privateers' first goal of the season on assists by sophomore Frank Castelli (Little Neck, N.Y./St. Francis Prep.) (Little Neck, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) and Josh Hempel (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch) (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch) and the teams went to the locker rooms tied at 1-1.

Hemple put Maritime ahead, 2-1, just 5:28 into the second period when got the puck past the Hofstra keeper after passes from Castelli and Galli. Just under seven minutes later, it was Castelli to score on a power play and his goal was assisted by Galli and Hempel and Maritime led 3-1. The Pride answered right back with two goals just over a minute apart from each other to tie the score at 3-3, which it remained into the second intermission.

In the third period, junior Tom Mehmet (Little Neck, N.Y./St. Mary's) (Little Neck, N.Y./St. Mary's) scored the go-ahead goal while Maritime was shorthanded with just 9:34 remaining. The Privateers held on to the 4-3 lead and freshman goalie Zach Dietrich (Point Pleasant, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) picked up 41 saves in the game for the first win of his career.

On Sunday against NJIT, the Highlanders built up an early 5-1 lead after one period of play. The game evened out and the score was 6-2 into the second intermission. Maritime scored two goals early in the third period to make the score 6-4 and had momentum on a power play, but took a penalty that evened the skaters on the ice. NJIT scored another goal late in the game to close out the scoring. Maritime goal scorers for the game were freshman Patrick Masterman (Norfolk, Va./Hargrave Military Academy) (Norfolk, Va./Hargrave Military Academy), Conner Brailsford (Clayton, N.C./Clayton) (Clayton, N.C./Clayton), Galli and

The Privateers return to the ice this Saturday, Oct. 2, when the team travels to Freeport, N.Y. at the Freeport Recreation Center Ice Rink to take on Farmingdale Sate. Faceoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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