Seton Hall Prep hockey team clinches divisional title

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep ice hockey team went 2-1 last week to raise its record to 10-7 on the season. 

On Monday, Jan. 29, the Pirates hosted Malvern Prep and defeated them, 4-2, at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange. 

After Malvern Prep opened the scoring, senior Christopher McIntyre scored a power-play goal on assists by junior Andrew Tralongo and senior Nicholas Schneider with 3:45 left in the first period. Just 10 seconds later, Tralongo made it 2-0 on assists by McIntyre and Schneider. McIntyre closed out the scoring with 1:07 left on an assist by Schneider. In the second period, Malvern Prep made it 3-2 before junior Matthew Smith closed out the scoring on assists by sophomore John Renzullo and freshman Ryan Murray with 7:57 left in the third period. Winning goalie junior Luke Ench made 23 saves.

The next night, the Pirates traveled to Skylands Ice World in Stockholm to face Pope John XXIII. The Pirates defeated the Lions, 4-2, to become co-champions of the Gordon Conference–National Division with a 6-2 record. Senior Hudson Rocheville opened the scoring with 9:19 left in the second period with an unassisted goal. Renzullo made it 2-0 with 2:58 left with a power-play goal on assists by senior Dhruv Thakare and Ryan Murray. Tralongo made it 3-0 with a power-play goal with 11:02 left in the third period on assists by Schneider and McIntyre. Pope John scored two goals later in the period, before Schneider closed out the scoring with :23 left on an empty-net goal to make it 4-2. Ench made 25 saves on the night.

On Thursday afternoon, Feb. 1, the Pirates traveled to Martire Family Arena on the campus of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., to face Morristown–Beard. The Pirates dropped a 3-1 decision. 

Trailing 1-0, Seton Hall tied the score at 1-1 on a goal by McIntyre, assisted by Thakare and Schneider, with 4:19 left in the second period. Morristown–Beard scored the tie-breaking goal with 7:57 left in the third period and an empty-net goal with :21 left.

The seeding for the 66th Gordon Cup Tournament took place at Richard J. Codey Arena on Tuesday morning, Feb. 6. SHP is the No. 7 seed and will visit No. 2 seed St. Augustine on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 3:05 p.m. at Hollydell Arena in Sewell. 

The final will be held at Codey Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 8 p.m.