Box Score

THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (Feb. 22, 2011) – The #3-seed Maritime hockey team lost to #2-seed Wagner, 6-1, Saturday night in the semifinals of the Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference (MCHC) playoffs, ending the Privateers remarkable season. With the defeat, the Maritime record finished at 16-9 overall, including a 13-3 mark in MCHC action. The Seahawks went on to defeat #1-seed Fordham, 6-3, in the finals on Sunday to capture the Met Hockey Championship.

Wagner got on the board first at 8:38 of the opening period when Jim Balben scored at even strength 20 seconds after the Seahawks killed off a cross checking penalty. The Privateers responded early in the second period when freshman Nick Galli (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by the Sea) lit the lamp on a power play goal off a feed from classmate Josh Hempel (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch).

Then just 26 seconds later, Maritime thought they had the go-ahead goal by Galli, but it was disallowed as the referees determined that Wagner goalie Griffin Dunne made the save. That was a turning point in the game, as the Seahawks would score the next goal just over a minute later to take a 2-1 lead. Then two quick goals just 50 seconds apart opened the Wagner lead up to 4-1.

Two more tallies in the third period put the game well out of reach, as the Seahawks held on for the 6-1 victory and a spot in the finals on Sunday. In goal for the Privateers, freshman Zach Dietrich (Point Pleasant, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) stopped 38 shots in the losing effort, while Dunne tallied 34 saves for Wagner.

Under second-year head coach Matthew Garofalow and his hardworking staff, Maritime has completely turned around its hockey program from two years ago, when the team went winlees at 0-15. The Privateers won 10 of their last 12 games this season and earned the #3 seed in the MCHC Playoffs. As for next season, Maritime will not be losing a single player and will be adding a strong incoming class. So the team's future looks bright.