The UMass Boston men’s ice hockey team’s season has unceremoniously come to an end. The Beacons lost the last two games of the 2003-04 campaign with a pair of road defeats to New England College and Saint Anselm, 8-1 and 5-2 respectively. The team’s final record stands at 3-21-0.
UMB has had several unforeseen obstacles to overcome this past season, most notably the team’s coach, Jack Foley, taking a three-month medical leave. Assistant Coach Mike Bertoni took the helm for the remainder of the season.
There has been no update regarding the coaching situation for next season.
The Beacons have also had to deal with limited depth, finishing the season with only 14 healthy skaters (forwards and defensemen) and 2 goalies.
New England College put the pressure on UMB in the first period, scoring three goals. Pilgrim Travis Banga scored his team-leading 20th goal of the year to start off the scoring. NEC’s Rashuan Ewing and Ryan Brewer later put the puck in the net less than a minute apart in the waning moments of the opening period.
The Pilgrims scored twice more in the second period and then three more times in the third before the Beacons got on the scoreboard. Forward Jason Bastien netted his second goal of the year for the Beacons’ only score. Joseph DeCato and Stephen Chin had assists.
UMB goaltender Craig Paster once again saw a high number of shots, stopping 43 of 51. He was in net for all three of the Beacons’ victories this season.
The Saint Anselm contest was a little better, but in the end it was still a defeat. Chin gave the Beacons an early lead when he scored his seventh goal of the year.
The advantage on the scoreboard did not last for that long. Aaron Crear of Saint Anslem scored his 13th goal of the year to tie the game at one. The Hawks then took control from that point, scoring two more times in the second period and twice more in the third. The Beacons’ Brian Sullivan added a late goal, his eighth of the year, to finish up the scoring.
UMB freshman goaltender Sean Bertoni stopped 41 out of 46 shots in the loss.