Purdue, not a problem

Kevin Kenealy
Online Interactive Editor

After two nice victories at Northwestern, Eastern's RSO hockey team took care of Purdue, 18-14, that is they won 9-7 in their away game opener and 9-7 on their Saturday home opener.

Despite scoring a very late goal with 35 seconds left in the third period Saturday, Purdue was unable to capitalize when they needed to.

Eastern did just the opposite, both games.

Coming off some sloppy play in game one that included a spear and misconduct for game one hat tricker forward Dale Michonski, Eastern came in to game two firing.

Two quick goals from forward Dan Seachrist and forward Derek Hay pushed Head Coach Cameron Estes's team to a comfortable lead. The trend continued as Hay fired another one through off of forward Ryan Hasting's feed.

Just as fast Purdue flipped in their first, Eastern responded with a wrist flip shot a foot from the post from Captain Dave Fitzgerald, while falling down! But Eastern would go comfortably numb as with 1:37 left in the first, Purdue would score on a traffic jam goal, 4-2.

It couldn't of been a minute into the second when Purdue slid another one in and due to some later physical contact near Eastern's goal, Purdue was able to control the puck as it scooted loose from the madness, get a stick on it, and tie the game at 4-4.

It would be the last time Eastern wouldn't have a lead.

Even though Purdue managed 21 shots on goal in the second to Eastern's 16 and defenseman Kevin Hicks continued to get called to the penalty box for misconduct, the team led 6-4 going into the third.

Like the first two periods, the third went Eastern's way at first and then gradually fell apart. Defenesmen Gavin Wilk played heads up near the post as he fired a slapshot in for the goal, 7-4. But a few key drives by Purdue led the game to within one score at 7-6 Eastern.

"I got the shot off of Joe Kopca; it was a nice pass to the point, got the shot wide open net, it was right there," Wilk said.

By the time it was 8-6 Eastern off another Derek Hay slap in with the Hastings assist, the fans that rode up on the hockey team's fan bus chanted, "Purdue Sucks!"

In the closing minutes is where Goalie Nick Maggio, as in the third period of the first game steps up the intensity. Not letting anything through defensively and in the net for Maggio for the next near 12 minutes allowed Eastern to add another two shots on offense and seal game two against Purdue and win their home opener.

Maggio took over for Eric Grap's tough day in game one, giving up only two goals in 25 and a half minutes of play, and adding a crucial 12 saves.

The win puts Eastern at 4-0 going away to silver division McKendree College week and then to a tougher gold team roster.

"We were short a couple people here; the guys that were out really stepped up," Estes said. "The third period was, we came out we were a little up, they scored a couple quick goals, got back in it. We showed we could get back in it, put a couple pucks in the net, and took care of it from there."

"[It was] the same result [as yesterday] but we picked up the intensity level a lot today," Wilk said.