BULLDOGS 5 ICE HOCKEY PURPLE ROSES 3

“You can see them gaining the game plan we want. You can see them starting to do things like begin to cycle, pressure the puck more. We can’t seem to connect all the dots yet. We are close. Every game we get a little closer.” STEPHEN SCANAPICCO, St. Rose Coach

BY LEN BARDSLEY THE COAST STAR

COURTESY OF SARAH LEMONIE

St. Rose sophomore forward Sean Grant pushes the puck past the Rumson-Fair Haven goalie on Friday at Jersey Shore Arena. Grant scored a goal for the Purple Roses in a 5-3 loss to the Bulldogs.

WALL — The St. Rose ice hockey team is still trying to find the consistency and the right recipe to win a tight game.  The Purple Roses have led early in several games this season, looked dominant during stretches of games, but have had trouble sustaining that momentum. The 5-3 loss to Rumson-Fair Haven was another example on Friday at Jersey Shore Arena. The two teams came into the game with similar records, both with a single win, several close games and only one lopsided loss.

It looked like the Purple Roses were going to set the tone early, with freshman forward Timmy Regan delivering a crushing, legal open ice hit on his first shift.  Regan also got a good chance on net, but was stopped with a pad save by Bulldogs goalie Sean Ryan.

Rumson-Fair Haven took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period on a slap shot from the point by Blake Lerner.

The Purple Roses battled back and scored two goals in a span of under 30 seconds late in the first period to take a 2-1 lead.

Charlie Armstrong scored on a backhand in the slot with 1:44 left in the first period to tie the game for St. Rose before Mike Russ went to the net and knocked in his own rebound with 1:20 left in the first period.  The goals were produced just the way Purple Roses coach Stephen Scanapicco’s expects his team to generate chances.  “Down low at the goalie’s feet, go get the rebound,’’ said Scanapicco. “They are slowly getting it.’’ The problem for the Purple Roses, according to Scanapicco, is that his team is not playing consistent hockey.  “You can see them gaining the game plan we want,’’ said Scanapicco. “You can see them starting to do things like begin to cycle, pressure the puck more. We can’t seem to connect all the dots yet. We are close. Every game we get a little closer.’’

The Bulldogs jumped back ahead during the second period.  Kurt Bruckman jumped around a St. Rose defender setting up a two-on-one, allowing Chase Dorworth to score with 5:58 left in the second period, tying the game 2-2.

The Purple Roses looked like they got a goal on a Sean Grant wrap-around, but the referee ruled the puck didn’t go into the net, though it appeared Ryan had stopped the puck behind the goal-line.

Rumson closed out the period by taking a 3-2 lead when Nick Longo scored in front of the Purple Rose net with only 17 seconds left in the second period.

“We had a big sag in the second period that left them off the mat.’’ said Scanapicco. “There are two teams on that ice surface. RFH skated hard, those players played hard from start to finish. That is one of the things we are trying to learn here.’’

The Purple Roses got a good start to the third period with Grant scoring off a Regan assist, tying the game, 3-3.

Dorworth, however, scored off a loose puck in the slot midway through the third period to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.

The Purple Roses lost a lot of momentum in their comeback attempt when a Purple Roses player was whistled for a five-minute major penalty for a hit with only 5:16 left in the third period.

“These are games you want to win,’’ said Scanapicco. “You feel like you should win. When you lose a game like this, when it is tight and it is anyone’s game all the way through ... these are the games you hate to lose.’’