Selep Propels Hockey to 3-2 Victory Over Curry

Selep Propels Hockey to 3-2 Victory Over Curry

BOSTON – This season Suffolk hockey likes to keep its fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer and it was no different Saturday night at Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink. With the game even at 2-2, Justin Selep scored with just 1:26 remaining to propel the Rams past Curry in ECAC Northeast action. 

Selep's game-winner, the junior's second of the season, kept Suffolk's unbeaten streak alive as the Rams won their second straight and moved to 3-0-2 overall and 2-0-1 in league action. Stanton Turner got the scoring going while Justin Holliday also found the back of the netting. Simon Leahy helped on two tallies, while Mikhail Bryan, Shaughn Shields, Sean Heelen and Danyil Medvedev each handed out one assist in the conference contest.

Curry (0-5-1, 0-3-1 ECAC Northeast) owned a shot advantage outshooting the Rams, 37-27. Brandon Smolarek recorded 35 saves, bolstering the senior's season total to 175 en route to his third  win of the year. 

The Rams found themselves up in the box score early when Turner gave them a 1-0 less than five minutes into the opening period. Set-up by Leahy and Bryan, Turner one-timed his fourth goal of the season to give the Rams the edge. 

Holliday got the scoring rolling in the second stanza as the freshman rocketed the puck over the right shoulder of Spencer Cookson to make it a 2-0 game in favor of the hosts. Shields collected his first point of his senior season on Holliday's second collegiate goal with Leahy also credited with an assist. 

Suffolk's netminder and defense was determined to keep Curry off the scoresheet, but was unable to accomplish the feat. Nearly 10 minutes ticked off the scoreboard, before the Colonels struck. Zachary White picked up the pieces in a scramble in front of the net to make it a 2-1 game. Mack Heisinger and Lionel Mauron assisted on the score. 

As the whistle sung but not 25 seconds later, sending Holliday to the box for interference, Curry level the playing field. Tyler Vankleef wristed a shot off the near circle to tie the game at 2-2. Mauron picked up his second assist of the night on Vankleef's score with Heisinger, this time Jake, also helping. 

Now with a clean and even slate a battle ensued for the final frame. As the clock approached 17:30, Connor Parent forced a Curry turnover, which played right into the forward's hands. The forward went on a  tear down the ice in breakaway fashion, but Cookson's quick reflexes made a highlight reel save to keep it a 2-all game. 

With the sights of overtime in the near future, the Rams continued to press on offense. After Medvedev controlled the puck in Curry's zone, she flipped it to Heelen who found Selep. The junior flipped the puck right by Cookson to give Suffolk the 3-2 lead. 

After pulling Cookson at 19:20, the Colonels had a pair of chances to draw even late, but Smolarek and the defense held firm and kept things in the Rams' favor for the victory. 

Suffolk heads back out on the road to open a three-game week Tuesday at historic Walter Brown Arena where it will meet Wentworth at 7 p.m.