By Michael Battista / @MichaelB_96

CSCHC Writer

The College of New Jersey fell in its attempt to win a second time in the ACHA Southeast Regional Play-in Round. Despite holding a lead for a majority of the game, the 12th seeded Lions could not hold back the 9th seed Wake Forest University offense and lost, 3-2, in overtime.

Head coach Andrew Ducko said afterwards that he knows his team accomplished a lot this past season but felt they could have been better.

“We had a good season, '' said Ducko. “We accomplished a lot. We won our league. I think we have a really good team but we weren’t the best on the ice tonight.”

“The whole game our guys gave 100 percent, they gave their best effort but we didn’t have our best game,” he continued. “We were back on our heels a bit, they ended up scoring and going into overtime we just said ‘we can play better, we just have to push the momentum (and) keep doing our thing.’”

This is the first time a team from the Colonial has ever played overtime hockey in the regional tournament. Last year, TCNJ looked as though it would be first to do it then against Rowan University before then-team captain Will Dimock scored a game winner with seconds left in regulation.

The Lions came out quick against the Demon Deacons, scoring four minutes into the game when  Jameson Dugan slapped a long shot from the left side into the upper right netting. Wake Forest’s Kal Maier struggled in the first period as he faced eleven shots and was only able to stop nine of them. Even when his team evened the game back up, after Nick Keroack narrowly scored a power play goal with the puck almost being cleared from the line at the last moment, it was TCNJ that ended the first period with momentum. Andrew Summa slapped in a second goal on a power play with under five to play to give the Lions a lead, 2-1, heading into the break.

For the next 40 minutes, Maier played a perfect game. The offense in front held the puck for a majority of the game, keeping TCNJ from any potential attacks, while the five shots he did face were saved.

“I don’t think (Kal) was seeing the puck all that well,” said Wake Forest head coach Dave Pasquale. “I thought he settled in perfectly which was great. Made some good saves, especially killing penalties.”

While Wake Forest struggled to stay out of the penalty box in the first period, going down 5-on-3 on two occasions including Summa’s goal, the Lions’ senior forward Kris Hastings bookended the second with double minors which hampered his team’s already tiring offense. Wake Forest challenged Michael Lojewski relentlessly trying to even the score but the Bayonne native stopped nearly 40 shots heading into the final stretch. Both coaches spoke highly of the sophomore's performance in net.

“Michael Lojewski is our best hockey player. Every night,” said Ducko. “He makes the saves he needs to make, he’s calm, he’s composed, he makes us a better hockey team.”

“I thought (TCNJ’s) goalie played outstanding, played a great game,” said Pasquale, who couldn’t believe some of the shots he stopped as he pushed the Deacons to the brink. “I told him when we were shaking hands to ‘keep your head up, you played a really great game.’”

While his efforts kept his team alive, the Lions’ offense became non-existent as the game wore on. Passes and clearances were intercepted by Wake Forest players who quickly attempted shots on Lojewski. Any time the puck entered the Forest half of the ice, defensemen quickly rushed the puck leaving little room for mistakes.

With under five minutes to go, an odd-man rush turned out to be the breaking point. Forest’s Brendan Gregoire set himself up in front of the net as the puck rushed down the right side. A long pass from James Caras found him and before Lojewski could dive to the opposite side the puck slammed into the back netting to tie the game. 

In overtime, it took less than a minute for Forest’s Gregoire and Braxton Mcnulty to charge down the ice with the puck. A final pass to the right side and an open Matt Solviletti would seal the outcome. The forward buried the game winner to give Wake Forest it’s first ever win at the regional tournament in the program’s first appearance.

Speaking about the winning goal, Pasquale admits he was surprised that’s how it turned out. After seeing 60 minutes of great play from TCNJ’s star goalie he thought his team might need to chip a puck in.

“We scored a really high skilled goal,” he said. “I thought it was going to be more of a tip shot or deflection. Nice to see we made a really good play.”

With the season over, TCNJ looks ahead to 2020-21. Only three members of its roster, along with two student managers, will be graduating, leaving a solid core at the helm to train the new class of rookies. Despite the loss, Ducko says his players shouldn’t have regrets for how they played all year. The team, especially the seniors who accomplished the feat of being Colonial Cup champions every season of their college careers, can keep their heads high.

“I asked (the players) to raise their hand if they gave one hundred percent, raise your hand if you have any regrets, raise your hand if you can live with the loss,” said Ducko. “(We) talked about the seniors and what they brought to our program. We talked about how important our team being close and getting along is to our success. 

“We come together as a group, so it makes it special and it makes it hurt (to lose).”

College of New Jersey President Dr. Kathryn A. Foster, who was in attendance for the game along with TCNJ’s Vice President for Student Affairs Sean Stallings, said she was incredibly proud of the players not only for Friday night but every night that they represented the college.

“We were as close as you can be in a game like this. Could not be more proud of The College of New Jersey, could not be more proud of our Lions hockey players,” said Dr. Foster. She also went on to say that she thinks the team hosting the regional tournament is a huge step in its history, and hopes it can usher in a new era for the team.

“We’ve really put ice hockey on the map in this area by hosting a tournament of this caliber,” she said. I think it’ll bring some visibility and renown to our program. I hope that it means that other people watching think about (TCNJ) as a place to come and play ice hockey… It’s really special that we host (regionals) so people know that we are a center for ice hockey in New Jersey and beyond.”

Rest of the Southeast Regional Results:

Friday, February 28

#10 Rider University (2) vs. #11 University of Delaware (5)

#9 Wake Forest University (3) vs. #12 The College of New Jersey (2) (OT)

Saturday, February 29

#3 University of Cincinnati (6) vs. #11 University of Delaware (1)

#4 North Carolina State University  (2) vs. #9 Wake Forest University (3)

 #5 Rowan University (7)  vs. #8 Ohio State University (6) (2OT)

 #6 Penn State University (3)  vs. #7 Miami University (Ohio) (7)

Sunday, March 1

#5 Rowan University (2) vs. #7 Miami University (Ohio) (3)

 #3 University of Cincinnati  (4) vs. #9 Wake Forest University (0)

Regional Winners

#3 University of Cincinnati

#7 Miami University (Ohio) (Will be the #4 Southeast seed at the Nationals)