Nov. 18, 2007
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Peter Davis (Jr., Riverside, CA) recorded a hat-trick, including the game-winner with 6:30 left in the fourth period, as the #20 Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays handled Iona College 9-6 in the seventh place game at the 2007 Eastern Championship hosted by Harvard University.
Hopkins, which never trailed in the game, took the lead with 5:21 left in the first period on a shot by Joey Jankiewicz (Sr., Coronado, CA). Iona came back to tie the game at the 3:18 mark as Ed Gronkowski (Jr., Chicago, IL) skipped a shot off the water and into the cage from five meters out, but the Blue Jays responded with 37 seconds left courtesy an exclusion goal by two-time Division III Player of the Year Sean McCreery (Sr., Pleasant Hill, CA) to carry a 2-1 lead into the second period.
The lead expanded to 3-1 38 seconds into the second fram when Davis slippd through the Gaels' defense and beat Iona goalie Eric Konzem (Fr., Humble, TX) cross-cage. Iona trimmed the margin to 3-2 prior to halftime as Patrick St. Cin (Jr., St. Louis, MO) converted on an exclusion chance with 2:18 left in the first half.
Johns Hopkins and Iona traded goals to open the third period when Chris Hemmerle (Sr., Harleysville, PA) pumped and finished a shot with 7:29 left, before Iona's Nick Velasquez (Jr., Chicago, IL) drilled a ball into the cage at 7:13 to set the score at 4-3. The Blue Jays cushioned their advantage with 5:21 left in the frame Alex Bond (Jr., North Wales, PA) moved inside his defender and finished a pass from Josh Kratz (Jr., Lansdale, PA) to give Hopkins a 5-3 lead.
The margin grew to 8-3 with 5:51 left in the fourth period as Bond flipped a pass to Jankiewicz who tipped in the shot off the back of his right hand at 7:15 and dished a helper for Davis who buried a five meter shot at 6:30. Davis completed his natural hat-trick at the 5:51 mark with a point blank shot to put the Blue Jays out in front by five goals.
Iona clipped the lead to four goals at 4:30 on an exclusion goal by Gronkowski, but Hopkins answered with 3:43 left on the clock courtesy an exclusion goal by McCreery to set the score at 9-4.
The Gaels closed the gap in the final minutes on tallies by John Kryminiski (Jr., Orland Park, IL) and Andrew Velasquez (Fr., Chicago, IL) at 2:52 and 10 seconds, respectively, for the 9-6 final.
For his goal and two assists, in addition to his defense, Bond was named the Player of the Game following the conclusion of the contest.
In goal, Chris Hutchens (Jr., Granite Bay, CA) and Jeremy Selbst (Fr., Old Greenwich, CT) combined to make six saves for Hopkins with each playing a half, while Iona's Eric Konzem (Fr., Humble, TX) blocked away eight shots.
Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | -- | Final |
Iona College | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -- | 6 |
Johns Hopkins University | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -- | 9 |
Johns Hopkins Goals -- Peter Davis (3); Sean McCreery (2); Joey Jankiewicz (2); Alex Bond; Chris Hemmerle
Iona Goals -- Ed Gronkowski (2); Joe Przekota; Nick Velasquez; John Kryminiski; Andrew Velasquez
Johns Hopkins Assists -- Alex Bond (2); Josh Kratz
Iona Assists -- None
Saves: Johns Hopkins - Chris Hutchens (3), Jeremy Selbst (3) ; Iona - Eric Konzem (8)
Ejections: Johns Hopkins - 6 ; Iona - 3
Sprints: Johns Hopkins - 1 ; Iona - 3
