Fordham Hockey Brings Championship to Rose Hill

By ROBERT BEATSON

Published: March 4, 2010

When a hockey team puts together a 14-1-1 record, chances are it hasn’t trailed in too many games. But on Feb. 21, the Fordham University club hockey team, owner of the best record in its conference, found itself trailing Columbia University by two goals it the end of the second period in the Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference championship game.

“It was quiet in the locker room,” said coach Tim Collins. “We were being outplayed. We knew we were better player-for-player, but we weren’t showing it. We didn’t think we’d be down like that, but these kids showed me something”

Trailing 4-2 at the start of the third period, the Rams rallied around their senior leaders before the final 20 minutes of play.

“The seniors said ‘we are not going to lose this game,’;” said Connor O’Brien, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’10, a defenseman co-captain from Troy, N.Y. “After that, we came out with an edge in our skates and we set the tempo.”

Midway through the third period, the Rams gained momentum when forward Ben Zabatino, FCRH ’11, scored off of a rebound during a Fordham power play.

Four minutes later, O’Brien deflected a shot past the Columbia goalie to even the score at 4-4.

The Rams’ renewed energy was quickly damaged just over a minute later, though, when Columbia’s Mirko Palla unleashed a rocket from behind the blue line that beat Fordham goalie Peter Marion, FCRH ’10.

The wild third period saw yet another Fordham comeback when forward co-captain Andrew McClain, FCRH ’10, scored on a wrist shot with 4:27 left to play.

“That’s when we knew we really had the momentum,” Collins said.

Columbia’s Palla was whistled for a penalty after the ensuing face off, setting up a Fordham power play. With 3:33 remaining in the third, Zabatino deflected a pass from forward Christian Cholhan, FCRH ’10, on net, catching the Columbia goalie off guard for the go-ahead score.

Fordham was able to contain Columbia after that and seal an impressive comeback win.

Fordham’s ability to fight back against Columbia was a shift from the team’s first playoff game, a 7-0 win over Suffolk.

“In the semi-final game, Suffolk tried to take it to us physically,” Collins said. “But we kept our heads and blew them out.”

“They were definitely taking cheap shots,” O’Brien said of Suffolk, which leads the conference in penalty minutes. “We defended ourselves and kept our composure. We didn’t want to lose anyone for the championship game.”

The chippy game against Suffolk was the result of Fordham’s number one ranking coming into the tournament.

“We had a target on our back,” O’Brien said. “Every player wants to take you down.”

The championship was Fordham’s first since the 2005-2006 season.

“Its been a long four years waiting for this,” O’Brien said. “I’m just glad this generation of players got to experience it.”

Collins hopes the championship will push the program ahead in the years to come.

“Maybe now we’ll have more recognition from the student body,” Collins said. “I know we’re not [the] football or basketball [team], but we have success the school can rally around. Maybe now some [former high school] hockey players who didn’t know we have a team will come out for us.”

The departing seniors set the bar high for next year’s team. Forwards Andrew McClain and Kevin Baum, both FCRH ’10, were named co-MVPs of the playoffs, and Baum led the conference with 19 goals and 33 assists on the season.

“The tradition around this team is great,” O’Brien said. “It’s about unity, and I’m going to miss being a part of it.”

After the championship game, Collins thanked his seniors for their contributions. “I told them that they are all a part of society now that they’re graduating, and I have no doubt they will succeed.”

The team was honored at halftime of the March 3rd Fordham basketball game.