The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- March 29, 1999

Final Division II Ice Hockey Championship goes to St. Michael's

St. Michael's will never be remembered as the most dominant team in Division II Men's Ice Hockey Championship history, but it will always be remembered as champion.

Getting a pair of goals from sophomore Jason Harrington, St. Michael's claimed its first NCAA title in any sport, defeating New Hampshire College in the Division II Men's Ice Hockey Championship March 12-13 at Essex Junction, Vermont.

The Ice Knights' title was the final title to be claimed in Division II. At the 1999 NCAA Convention, the Division II membership adopted legislation to discontinue the championship, effective August 1, 1999.

Making its first ice hockey championship appearance, St. Michael's (16-10-2) scored eight times in the second and deciding game of the two-game series to outlast New Hampshire College, 8-5, and claim the title.

The two teams battled to a 4-4 tie in the series' opening contest.

The Ice Knights' triumph overshadowed the outstanding individual effort of the Penmen's Chuck Croteau, who scored three goals. Croteau netted four goals in the two-game series.

New Hampshire College (17-8-2) competed in its second Division II championship. The Penmen also competed in the 1984 championship.

"It's an unbelievable moment for our program and the school," said St. Michael's head coach Lou DiMasi.

St. Michael's never trailed in the championship's second game, jumping out to a 3-0 lead behind first-period goals from Jeff Roukes and Andy Welgos and a second-period goal from Chris Kuthy.

Roukes, a senior, staked the Ice Knights to a 1-0 lead at 18 minutes, 22 seconds of the first period when he redirected a Mike Griffin slapshot past Penmen goaltender Nick Roussel.

Andy Welgos made it 2-0 just 38 seconds later and Kuthy increased the lead to three goals, netting a short-handed tally 3:07 into the second period.

New Hampshire College cut the deficit to 4-3 early in the third period, but Harrington and James Burr registered power-play goals to give the Ice Knights a three-goal cushion at 6-3. Burr scored what turned out to be the title-clinching goal, stuffing a centering pass past Roussel with 4:31 remaining in the contest.

"Going into the third period I knew we had it," said Ice Knights assistant captain Darren Beers. "I didn't say anything to anyone, but I knew we were wearing them down and skating more lines."

The Ice Knights got 31 saves from goaltender Nick Dion, who turned back 66 Penmen shots in two-game series.

"It was a crazy game," said Dion. "Both teams just kept going after it. It hasn't even sunk in yet that we're national champions."

In the series' opening contest, New Hampshire College rallied from a 3-1 deficit behind second-period goals from Steve Acropolis and Scott Proulx to gain a 4-4 tie.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Game 1

New Hamp. Col. 1 2 1 -- 4

St. Michael's 2 2 0 -- 4

First period: NH--Chuck Croteau (Nick Nugent), 4:37; SM -- Josh Ralph (Joe Huff, Jason Harrington), 8:56; SM -- Jim Walsh (James Burr, Chris Davidson), 13:44. Penalties: SM -- Jeremy Coccaro (boarding), :59; NH -- Rich Miller (hitting after whistle), 19:12; SM -- Daykin Marini (hitting after whistle), 19:12.

Second period: SM -- Harrington (John Coyle), 5:51; NH -- Steve Acropolis (Rob Miller), 7:07; NH -- Scott Proulx (Acropolis, Dan Roy), 9:03 (pp); SM -- Mike Griffin (unassisted), 12:04. Penalties: NH -- Ryan Frew (tripping), 3:07; SM -- Walsh (hitting after whistle), 6:07; NH -- Frew (hitting after whistle), 6:07; SM -- Harrington (hitting after whistle), 7:25; NH -- Nugent (slash), 9:19; SM -- Gerd Stodiek (hitting from behind), 15:00; SM -- Mike MacDonald (interference), 17:48; NH -- Bryan Favreau (hooking), 18:22.

Third period: NH -- Proulx (unassisted), 2:51. Penalties: NH -- Mike Cesere (interference), 3:24; NH -- Chris Holland (cross checking), 4:31; SM--Coccaro (roughing), 7:31; NH -- Tom Fielding (tripping), 12:48; SM -- Andy Welgos (interference), 15:48; NH -- Frew (holding), 15:48; SM -- Walsh (boarding), 15:57; SM -- Huff (high-sticking [served by Ralph], misconduct), 17:34; NH -- Frew, 18:41.

Shots on goal: New Hamp. Col. 8-19-12 -- 39; St. Michael's 8-9-10 -- 27. Saves: NH -- Nick Roussel 23; SM -- Nick Dion 35. Penalties: NH -- 9 for 18 min.; SM -- 11 for 30 min. Officials: Fred Campetelli and Bill Dorian (referees), Michael Cross (linesman). Attendance: 1,113.

Game 2

New Hamp. Col. 0 2 3 -- 5

St. Michael's 2 2 4 -- 8

First period: SM -- Jeff Roukes (Jim Murphy, Mike Griffin), 18:22; SM -- Andy Welgos (Mike MacDonald), 19:00. Penalties: SM -- MacDonald (boarding), 1:15; SM -- Joe Huff (slashing), 11:34; NH -- Mike Cesere (cross-checking), 14:33; SM -- Roukes (high-sticking), 19:41; SM -- Chris Davidson (boarding major, game misconduct), 20:00.

Second period: SM -- Chris Kuthy (James Burr), 3:07 (sh); NH -- Cesere (John Dunn, Nick Nugent), 4:09 (pp); NH -- Rich Miller (Rob Miller), 4:22 (pp); SM -- Jason Harrington (Chris Kuthy), 6:28 (pp). Penalties: SM -- Welgos (slashing), 4:14; NH -- Rob Miller (hitting from behind major, game misconduct), 5:21; NH -- Steve Acropolis (roughing), 6:59; SM -- Burr (roughing), 6:59; SM -- Gerd Stodiek (roughing), 10:57; NH -- Ryan Frew (holding), 10:57; SM -- Welgos (roughing), 18:23.

Third period: NH -- Chuck Croteau (unassisted), 2:47 (sh); SM -- Harrington (Murphy, Ralph), 7:13 (pp); SM -- Burr (John Coyle, Jim Walsh), 15:29 (pp); NH -- Croteau (Rich Miller, Bryan Favreau), 18:12; SM -- Daykin Marini (unassisted), 19:05 (sh, en); NH -- Croteau (Rich Miller), 19:12 (pp); SM -- Josh Ralph (unassisted), 19:34 (en). Penalties: NH -- Scott Proulx (spearing major, game misconduct, disqualification), 1:07; SM -- Ralph (tripping), 3:16; NH -- Nugent (high-sticking), 7:04; SM -- Marini (charging), 7:14; SM -- Murphy (slashing), 11:33; NH -- Chris Holland (roughing), 13:42; NH -- Cesere (interference), 14:00; NH -- Frew (roughing), 16:50; SM -- Roukes (holding stick), 17:20.

Shots on goal: New Hamp. Col. -- 6-14-16 -- 36; St. Michael's -- 11-12-13 -- 36. Saves: NH -- Nick Roussel 28; SM -- Nick Dion 31. Penalties: NH -- 8 for 20 min.; SM -- 11 for 29 min. Officials: Fred Campatelli and Bill Dorion (referees), Michael Cross (linesman). Attendance: 1,120.