By Dylan Butler
If anyone at Abe Stark Rink on Coney Island thought the CHSHL ‘B’ division clash between Molloy and St. Edmund would be close, the Molloy hockey team squelched those feelings with a five-goal barrage in the first period en route to a 7-1 rout.
“That takes a lot of pressure off,” Molloy coach Richie Rodgers said of his team’s quick start. “Whenever we play [head coach John Borgia’s] team, we know he’s a good coach with good kids. For some reason, they just had an off night.”
Matt Davino got things going 2:20 into the game on a goal assisted by Paul LiVecchi and Jimmy Grogan. Less than two minutes later, Dan Marsanico made it 2-0 on assists from Matt Lavanco and Bryan Elfant.
The Stanners added two more goals in quick succession as Mike Farrell and Elfant scored 11 seconds apart to give first-place Molloy (4-1-2 CHSHL B) a four-goal cushion, and Elfant capped the first period scoring with a power-play goal with 18 seconds left.
Grogan added a power-play goal with 3:08 left in the second period on an assist from Davino and Gregg Neuendorf, and LiVecchi added a third period tally, assisted by Grogan with 3:31 remaining.
Farrell netted a hat trick, including two power-play goals, Friday night in a 5-5 tie with Kellenberg at Newbridge Road Rink in Bellmore. Sean Murphy (two assists) also scored with a man advantage and Davino added a goal for Molloy, which faces winless Christ the King Saturday at 8:05 p.m. at the Ice Hutch in Mount Vernon.
Monsignor McClancy 7, Salesian 1. Jason Andjelovic netted a hat trick and had an assist, Keith Morrice had a goal and two assists, Anthony DeMarco had a goal and an assist and Charlie Gonzalez and Joe Sodowsky added a goal apiece for McClancy (5-2 CHSHL C) Saturday at the Ice Hutch.
Michael Spiteri also had two assists for the Crusaders, who return to the ice Jan. 17 against third-place Spellman.
“We’re generating more offense this year,” McClancy coach Mike Brenneis said when asked about the difference from last year to this year. “Ryan Ferguson and Morrice are now sophomores. The seniors, Anthony DeMarco, Andjelovic and Spiteri, are all playing much stronger, we’re getting good goaltending from Sean Rock, he’s making the first saves, and the defensemen are doing a good job of clearing the pucks away.”
The win came on the heels of a tough loss to undefeated Xavier last Thursday night at Murray Rink in Yonkers. Andjelovic put McClancy ahead 1-0 in the first period and DeMarco tied it at 2 with a power-play goal with 5:13 left in the third. But Ralph Marucci netted his second with 2:27 remaining and Pakie Belanger (two goals) added an empty netter to clinch the win for Xavier (8-0).
St. Francis Prep 3, Chaminade 1. James Bertorelli, freshman Andrew Steinman and Mark Sausa scored for the Terriers, who won their first game in the CHSHL ‘A’ division. St. Francis Prep (1-5-1) faces the Flyers again Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Iceworks in Syosset before facing Xaverian Saturday at Abe Stark Rink at 9:45 p.m.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
