The University of Rhode Island men’s club ice hockey team hosted Drexel University in a two-game series over the weekend, featuring 18 combined goals between the two teams.
The last time Drexel and URI took the ice together, the Dragons defeated the Rams 4-2 in the Eastern State Collegiate Hockey League championship in February 2023.
In the first period, third-year forward Anton Kozitskiy committed an elbowing penalty that gave the Rams a power play. Third-year forward Zachary Bell took advantage, scoring a goal with just over six minutes left in the period to give URI a 1-0 lead. Rhody would score three more goals by the end of the first period, pushing the lead to 4-0.
By the end of the 2nd period, URI added three more goals to their lead to make it 7-0. Fourth-year forward Kevin Kanaczet and third-year forward Shane Mulhern both scored their second goals of the game, followed by a power play goal from first-year defensemen Zach Gold. Drexel would make a comeback push in the third period, scoring three goals but ultimately falling 8-3 to the Rams.
Third-year Anton Kozitskiy opened up Saturday’s game with a first-period goal at 16:28 to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead. Later in the period, third-year forward and captain Matthew Harris scored a goal to extend the Dragons lead to 2-0.
Later in the second period, Kozinitsky would take the puck up along the boards before cutting in front of the net, scoring on a backhanded wrist shot for his second goal of the game to push the lead to 3-0. URI would go on a power play with just over two minutes left in the second period, but were unable to capitalize and went into the third period down three goals.
First-year Aidan Darlington opened the third period with a goal to put URI on the board and cut the Drexel lead to 3-1. URI would go on their second power play of the game later in the period, but still were not able to score on the advantage.
Harris scored his second goal of the game for the Dragons off of a rebound that came to him in front of the net. Drexel followed up with a power play goal to make it 5-1 Dragons. URI would score with just over three minutes remaining in the game, but it was not enough to overcome the four-goal deficit.
“Since I’ve been here for thirty five years we’ve played Drexel maybe 90 times,” URI Head Coach Joe Augustine said. “It’s the same scenario: win the first night, lose the second night.”
Despite 52 shots on goal and outshooting Drexel by 22 shots, URI struggled to find the back of the net.
“You only count the ones that go in,” Augustine said. “So the shots mean nothing, the same goalie from last night they scored eight on. I think they just thought they were gonna show up again tonight, put up another eight goals and go home. When you don’t respect the other team, that’s what happens.”
URI is now 4-5-1 on the season and 1-2-1 in conference play. It is currently second in ESCHL standings. The Rams will continue conference play on Nov. 1-2 with a series against Stony Brook University, followed by a rematch against Drexel this time in Philadelphia on Nov. 8-9.