Yale Ices Brown in Season Opener

Yale celebrates their season-opening victory over Ivy League rival Brown.

By Steven A. Conn
YALE UNIVERSITY
Associate Athletics Director
Director of Sports Publicity

PROVIDENCE—It was the fastest goal ever scored by an ECAC Hockey team in its season opener. Just 14 seconds into the 2018-19 campaign, Joe Snively unleashed a wrist shot that sailed into the top corner of the net. The first of his two goals sent the Yale Men’s Hockey Team on the way to a 3-2 conference win over Brown at Meehan Auditorium on Friday.

Snively took a pass on the left side from rookie Curtis Hall and skated into the top of the circle before sending a rocket over Luke Kania’s glove. It was the 14^th fastest goal for an NCAA men’s Division I season opener.

After Brown evened things, Snively put the visitors on top again by taking the puck away from Kania behind the Bears’ net and then winning the race with the goalie to the crease for a wrap-around tally, the 45^th goal of his career at 17:36 of the first.

Both sides found the net in the middle frame, but the second one turned out to be the winner. Evan Smith sent a shot from the point toward traffic in the slot. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound body of teammate Luke Stevens was screening the goalie, and the Yale forward’s stick re-directed the puck past Kania with 4:59 left to make it 3-2.

“I tried to get out front to screen him [goalie],” said Stevens. “Evan made a good shot, and I just tipped it.”

The Bulldogs outshot the Bears 22-9 over the first 40 minutes, but the home squad tilted the ice in the third period trying to find the equalizer. Yale junior goalie Corbin Kaczperski came up huge in the final period with 13 saves, including a few quality chances, to earn the victory.

“There were a lot of blocks out front, and I was glad to help them out with a couple of saves at the end,” said Kaczperski.

Bulldog head coach Keith Allain was happy with the win, but certainly not satisfied.

“It was hard fought game and we played fast. It’s hard to simulate the pace of play in practice. As I told the guys after the game, there is still a lot of work to do and I’m excited about moving forward,” said Allain.