Red Hawks Capture the 2018 DVCHC Championship
Heading into the weekend the Montclair State University Red Hawks held the #1 spot in the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference which earned them a first round bye into the Semifinals. In their first game, the Red Hawks would face Loyola University of Maryland, a team that they were able to defeat twice during the course of the regular season. Montclair State would strike early and often and score 10 goals to win their first playoff game in convincing fashion by a score of 10-5. The team would face a much improved U Penn team that was able to tie the nearly perfect Red Hawks in the last weekend of the season.
After falling behind 1-0 early in the game on a U Penn power play goal, the Red Hawks would score two quick goals to hold a 2-1 lead after the first period. In the second period, the referees arms must have been tired as they called the Red Hawks for three consecutive penalties allowing U Penn to net three more power play goals in the middle frame to take a 4-3 lead after two periods. As the puck dropped for the third period, the referee puth his arm up once again calling the Red Hawks for yet another penalty. U Penn, once again they were able to capitalize on their fifth power play of the game to take a 5-3 lead.
As things looked grim in the third period, the coaching staff and captains were able to rally the team back from a very bleak outlook. Senior Brittany Meneghin was able to complete her hat trick to take a 6-5 lead late in the third period. The Red Hawks would add another goal to make the score 7-5 with about two minutes left in the game. U Penn would pull their goaltender for an extra skater and was able to score late to make the score 7-6 with 38 seconds left in the game. With U Penn swarming, Captain Amanda Peterson was able to block a shot and control the play to allow the Red Hawks to get the puck out and deep in U Penn territory to eat the remaining time. As the horn sounded the Red Hawks would capture their first league championship, in their first season in a league, in just their fourth year in existence. In a weekend where there was several factors working against the Red Hawks, the team was able to rally and secure the victory. The team also secured it's first ever invitation to the National Tournament by winning the DVCHC title.
