Gettysburg wins a back and forth battle against Alvernia

It had been a week since Gettysburg last hit the ice, but that just made the players all the more eager to get out there after recharging the batteries. The Bullets would need to be sharp as they would faceoff against newcomer to the MDCHA Alvernia. Gettysburg had beaten Alvernia last season, however the new season has brought Alvernia 20 new freshman to their roster and their eye on the Mason Dixon title. This game would also be Alvernia's first of the season so they too were anxious to get the season kicked off.

With their home crowd filling the stands, Alvernia were hoping to get on the board first. However, the Bullets would be the ones to strike first on the powerplay when Freshman Matt Simeoni banged home a rebound in front of the net. Gettysburg would ride the early lead until just after midway through the first, at the end of a penalty kill, the Bullets were unable to clear and a shot deflected past Senior goaltender Rich Sommerkorn. However, the tie game would be short lived as once again on the powerplay Simeoni buried a puck past the Crusader netminder. Gettysburg was still not done as less than two minutes later, Junior Phil Deyette would accept a pretty pass and roof it past the goaltender for the Bullets third powerplay goal of the night. A late penalty in the first would allow the Crusaders to score a powerplay goal of their own giving them the momentum going in to the second period.

The Bullets knew they needed to take the momentum away from Alvernia and did just that by scoring just over a minute in to the period as Deyette netted his second of the night on a pass from Simeoni giving the Bullets another two goal lead. Alvernia would once again make the game interesting as they stole the puck in the Bullets end and put another shot past goaltender Sommerkorn. Once again Gettysburg did not want to keep the game close and 40 seconds later Freshman Cory Jackmuff would take the puck from a great aggressive forecheck from Sophomore Dan Willman, and slip it through the five-hole, giving them a 5-3 lead. With about six minutes remaining in the second period Gburg found themselves on the powerplay yet again and once again capitalized on a goal from Simeoni who netted his third goal of the night completing his hat trick. The back-and-forth battle continued as the Crusaders added a powerplay goal of their own two minutes later, making it 6-4. The onslaught of goals continued for the Bullets one minute later as Sophomore Ryan Flanagan ripped a slapshot past the goaltender before he had time to react. But the slugfest of offense was not over yet in the second as Alvernia capitalized on a late powerplay and once again took the momentum in to the locker room but still trailed by two.

Gettysburg started the game with a short bench as injuries have already plagued the Bullet's season, and they were hoping fatigue would not sit in before the final whistle. Both teams had their chances but Gettysburg would find themselves on the powerplay late and made it a theme on the night of capitalizing when a man up. Senior Captain Jackson Ferguson scored on a beautiful give and go with Junior Asa Hunter. Both teams would add additional goals late, Gettysburg's was from the stick of Senior John Cadigan. Gettysburg would clinch the victory with that goal with a final of 9-6.

Both teams combined for 32 penalties on the and Sommerkorn faced forty shots on the night. Gettysburg moves to 2-0 on the season in the Mason Dixon league and 4-3 overall. Next week Gettysburg faces the tough team of Christopher Newport University, from Virginia and then rival Dickinson on Saturday, during parents weekend. We invite all families and friends to the games both of which are at Twin Ponds East in Harrisburg, PA.