Dams Nets Hat Trick to Lead Holy Cross to 6-4 Win Over Bentley

January 30, 2004

Courtesy of Bentley Sports Information Department

WATERTOWN, Mass. --- Senior forward Jeff Dams (Manotick, Ont.) netted a hat-trick and teammate Jonas Tomiuck (Wainfleet, Ont.) tallied the game-winning goal and added a pair of assists as the College of Holy Cross upended Bentley College 6-4 in Atlantic Hockey action Friday night at the John A. Ryan Arena.

The Crusaders, trailing 4-3, out scored Bentley 3-0 (including an empty-netter) in the final 20 minutes, capped off by Tomiuck's second goal of the season at 16:52.

The two teams played even, aggressive hockey throughout the first two periods. Dams got the night started for the Crusaders as he was able to break free of the Falcons' defense and skated in alone on goalie Simon St. Pierre (Montreal, Que/College Bourget) and buried a snap-shot.

The Falcons, who saw a two-game winning streak snapped, answered with a pair of scores before the first intermission. Rookie Carmen Posteraro (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic HS) tipped a Brett Murphy (Caledonia, Mich./Kentwood HS) shot on the power play to even the score at 1-1.

Bentley moved ahead by a deuce when sophomore Ryan Mayhew (Owatonna, Minn/Shattuck-St. Mary's HS) ripped a shot from a poor angle on Crusader goalie Tony Quesada (South Freeport, Maine), beating him on the nearside with the assist going to Murphy and forward Ryan Lessnau (Southfield, Mich./Seaholm HS), his second of the night. Mayhew finished the night with a pair of goals and added an assist.

Dams single-handedly brought Holy Cross back, as he moved his team within one just over two minutes later, and tied the contest at 3-3 at 6:50 of the second.

Sophomore Paul Markarian (Quincy/Quincy HS) answered for Bentley this time, with his seventh goal of the season on a one-timer off of a beautiful drop pass from Posteraro.

Once again Holy Cross came up with the score it needed, with sophomore Andrew Weber (Hanson) evening the score at 4-4 early in the third, setting the stage for Tomiuck's game-winner. Holy Cross added an empty-netter with under a minute to play.

St. Pierre made 30 stops for Bentley who dropped to 5-12-4 overall and 3-7-4 in Atlantic Hockey games and Quesada collected 35 saves in the win for Holy Cross. The Crusaders remained atop the league standings with a 13-2-1 conference record and a 14-6-2 overall record. The two teams will drop the puck tomorrow night in Worcester.

At Watertown, Mass.

HOLY CROSS 6, BENTLEY 4

Holy Cross (13-6-1, 12-2-1 AHA) 1 2 3 -- 6

Bentley (5-11-4, 3-6-4 AHA) 2 2 0 -- 4

1st Period: HC, Jeff Dams (Jonas Tomiuck, Tony Coskren) 9:13; BEN, Carmen Posteraro (Brett Murphy, Ryan Mayhew) 15:54; BEN, Mayhew (Murphy, Ryan Lessnau) 17:47

2nd Period: BEN, Mayhew (Lessnau) 1:52; HC, Dams (Greg Kealey, Tomiuck) 3:30; HC, Dams (JR Walker, Tim Coskren) 6:50; BEN, Paul Markarian (Posteraro) 7:49

3rd Period: HC, Andrew Weber (Sean Nappo, JR Walker) 4:06; Tomiuck (Jon Landry) 16:52; HC, Tyler McGregor (Unassisted) 19:17.

Saves: BEN, Simon St. Pierre 30; HC, Tony Quesada 35

Shots: BEN 39, HC 36

Penalties: BEN 7/22, HC 11/22

Power Play: BEN 1/8, HC 1/4