Pittsburgh, PA – Sunday evening the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans recorded a 5-2 victory over the Robert Morris University Colonials to clinch the College Hockey East Championship for the 6th time in a row.
In the best of three series the two teams went the distance for the second year in a row with the Vulcans winning again 2-games to-1. This victory is the Vulcans sixth consecutive CHE Championship. Nick Posa finished the series with 2 goals and 6 assists earning him the CHE Playoff MVP. Posa finished the entire 2011-12 playoffs with 2 goals and 9 assists.
The series began on Friday night with Robert Morris taking command late in the first period off a Tommy Hanna goal to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead. Although the Vulcans would answer back early in the second period when Kevin Claybaugh scored to tie the game at 1-1.
The following two goals both came from the Colonials as Seth Garber and Cody Brenner gave the Colonials a 3-1 lead early in the third. The Vulcans answered the Colonials two goals by scoring three of their own from Justin Locante, Tim Gleason and Nate Bohn in an 8 minute and 15 second span with all three coming on the power play.
Holding a one goal lead the Vulcans were given a five minute major with 5:16 remaining in the contest. The Colonials scored two quick goals early in the major from Patrick Lafrankie and Brenden Boyle to take a 5-4 lead and 1-0 series lead.
Facing elimination in the CHE Championship Series on Saturday night the Vulcans came out firing form the start scoring early and often. Just four minutes into the game Tom Graw scored for the Vulcans to give them a 1-0 lead. He would score again six minutes later for a 2-0 Vulcan lead.
The Vulcans scoring did not stop there as playoff MVP Nick Posa scored his first of the series to give the Vulcans a 3-0 lead. One from Mitch Faust shortly followed Posa’s goal with 4:50 left in the first period to make it a 4-0 intermission lead.
Already clinging to a four goal lead the Vulcans added a fifth halfway through the second to take a 5-0 lead before Seth Garber added the Colonials first of the game late in the period. Attempting to make a comeback Eric Bogden scored again for the Colonials at 13:26 in the third to make it 5-2. Although just three minutes later Graw answered back for the Vulcans picking up a hat trick and adding to the Vulcans three goal lead. Just 44 seconds later the Colonials answered back making it 6-3 but it was too little to late. Faust added the final goal at 5:10 giving the Vulcans a 7-3 victory and tying the series at 1-1.
Game three of the CHE Championship Series started like game two with the Vulcans scoring early in the period when Josh York recorded a power play goal to give the Vulcans a 1-0 lead.
The period went quiet on the scoring front while the Vulcans pounded Andy Morlando in net with 23 first period shots compared to the Colonials nine. With just nine seconds remaining in the first Posa scored the Vulcans second power play goal of the game to give them a 2-0 first intermission lead.
Coming out in the second already leading by two the Vulcans scored short-handed at 13:48 by Shane Ierardi to take a 3-0 lead.
Just under the halfway mark of the second the Colonials found the back of the net off the stick of Broc McCroskey to make it 3-1. The 3-1 score would remain for over 20 minutes until the Colonials scored again at the 7:45 mark of the third period from Cody Brenner. The Vulcans were able to answer Breeners goal just two minutes later when Mitch Faust found the back of the net to make it 4-2. Justin Locante would add one more in for the Vulcans to secure the 5-2 victory and sixth straight CHE Championship.
On the series the Vulcans managed to go 6-for-13 on the power play while the Colonials went 4-for-21. The Vulcans were also able to outshoot the Colonials 137-93 in the three games.
Both Cal U and Robert Morris will be traveling to Vineland, NJ next week to take part in the ACHA National Championships. The College Hockey East wishes both teams the best of luck next week.
