NEW HAMPSHIRE EARNS WEEKEND SWEEP WITH 4-2 WIN OVER ST. CLOUD STATE
Senior forward John Henrion posts goal and assist for Wildcats

Senior forward John Henrion had a goal and an assist for the Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. - John Henrion (Holden, Mass.) and Nick Sorkin (Rockville, Md.) both recorded a goal and an assist to propel the University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team to Saturday night's 4-2 non-conference victory against St. Cloud State University at the Whittemore Center.

UNH, which defeated SCSU 5-3 in Friday night's season opener, is now 2-0-0. The Huskies are 0-2-0.

Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) finished with 25 saves, including 11 in the third period. SCSU counterpart Ryan Faragher was also credited with 25 saves.

Henrion got the scoring started for the Wildcats at 6:21 of the first period for his first goal of the season. The play started when Casey Thrush (Easton, Md.) won a loose-puck battle behind the net and sent a backhanded pass to Jeff Silengo (Madison, Conn.). Silengo tipped a pass to Henrion, who found the back of the net with a diving shot. St. Cloud leveled the score, 1-1, at 10:59 when Kevin Gravel sent a one-time shot above DeSmith's glove into the net. Jimmy Murray started the play when he passed the puck to Nic Dowd, who then found Gravel for the goal. At the end of the first period, the score was tied, 1-1.

New Hampshire came out on the attack in the second period and regained its lead when Sorkin found the rebound of Grayson Downing's (Abbottsford, B.C.) initial shot and stuffed it in the net. Dalton Speelman (San Jose, Calif.) started the play when he played the puck to Downing, who recorded his third assist of the weekend. The assist marked the fourth point in two games for Speelman, who tallied two goals and an assist Friday.

The Huskies responded at 11:59 in the period as Joey Holka received a pass in front of the net from Jimmy Murray and found the back of the net. Gravel tallied the second assist after his initial shot was saved by DeSmith.

UNH went on a power play at 18:43 of the second stanza and needed just eight seconds to capitalize on the skater advantage to produce a goal and 3-2 lead. Eric Knodel (West Chester, Pa.) initiated the sequence with a pass from the high slot to Henrion in the left circle. His initial shot was stopped by Faragher but Block, at the top of the crease, corralled the rebound and chipped a high shot under the crossbar.

The Wildcats, who generated a 10-6 shot advantage in the second period for a 19-16 edge through 40 minutes, extended its lead to 4-2 at 5:22 of the third period when Trevor van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.), who had a one-goal, one-assist effort in the season opener, maneuvered through the right circle and beat Faragher from close range. Sorkin and Connor Hardowa (Edmonton, Alberta) set up the tally. Hardowa concluded the two-game series with four assists.

SCSU pulled Faragher in favor of an extra skater with 1:16 remaining in regulation and gained a two-skater advantage when UNH was whistled for a tripping penalty at 19:35. DeSmith denied Hanowski twice and the Huskies were then forced to regroup in the neutral zone. Hanowski was once again stoned by DeSmith in the waning seconds.

New Hampshire returns to action Oct. 20 against Boston University. Game time at the Whittemore Center is 7 p.m. The game will be televised live on WBIN-TV and nationally on FOX College Sports. Check your local listings for stations. Tickets for the BU game and many other individual games are available online at UNHWildcats.com.