'03 - '04 Varsity Ice Hockey Game Summaries




DATE: December 7, 2003
OPPONENT: Don Bosco Prep (Away)

The Pirates start off the season with a bang by shutting out Don Bosco Prep 5-0. Dustin Kennedy led the Blue and White in scoring with two goals; Nick Lampson, Mike Cacciotti, and Bryan Haczyk chipped in with a goal apiece. Terry Robinson stopped all 27 shots he faced.

DATE: December 13, 2003
OPPONENT: Meadville High School (Home)

The Blue and White showed that they can tame the top team in Pennsylvania by skating to a 3-3 tie with Meadville High. Seton Hall was led by freshman John Passantino, who notched two goals, and senior Bryan Haczyk, who tallied one.

DATE: December 20, 2003
OPPONENT: Brick (Home)

The Pirates of Seton Hall Prep trampled the Green Dragons of Brick by the final score of 6-0. Bryan Haczyk led the Blue and White with four points, all of which were assists. Sophomore Nick Lampson notched three points, two on assists and one on a goal. Sophomore Mike Cacciotti tallied two goals while fellow classmate, Rem Vanderbeek, scored one goal. Senior Captain Ryan Sokerka chipped in with an assist and freshmen John Passantino and Mike Tahan added a goal apiece. For Tahan, it was his first goal in a Seton Hall uniform. In net, Terry Robinson stopped all 10 shots he faced.

DATE: December 22, 2003
OPPONENT: Bergen Catholic (Home)

Flexing its muscles, the Pirates of Seton Hall Prep disposed of the #1 team in the state, Bergen Catholic, by the final score of 2-1. It was a closely fought game throughout, but the Blue and White came out victorious behind the strength of Kevin Bendel in net, who stopped 20 of 21 shots he faced. The first goal by Seton Hall was a beautiful end to end sprint by Bryan Haczyk that he roofed over the opposing goaltender's shoulder. The game-winning goal was scored late in the third period by junior Phil Kropoth. Sophomore Matt Anderson assisted on the goal.

DATE: January 3, 2004
OPPONENT: St. Joe's Metuchen (Home)

In a very one-sided affair, Seton Hall Prep topped St. Joseph's of Metuchen 8-2. Mike Cacciotti recorded a hat trick for The Prep and Nick Lampson notched three assists. Mike Tahan scored a goal and an assist while Ryan Sokerka, Matt Janos, Bryan Haczyk, and John Passantino tallied one goal apiece. Nick Geraci, Dustin Kennedy, Jason Adams, and Matt Markovich each added an assist for the Pirates. In net, through two periods, Terry Robinson stopped eight shots and Billy Graul, who relieved Robinson at the start of the third period, halted all three shots he faced.

DATE: January 7, 2004
OPPONENT: Bergen Catholic (Away)

The Pirates rolled over the Crusaders of Bergen Catholic 5-2. The game was close in the first period, but after that, the Blue and White took over. Bryan Haczyk and Nick Lampson led the Pirates with three points apiece: two goals and one assist for each. Mike Cacciotti also had three points for Seton Hall, one coming from a goal in the first period and two coming from assists on both of Lampson's goals. Defensemen Ryan Sokerka and Matt Kufta each added an assist. Kevin Bendel was very impressive in net stopping 34 of 36 shots he faced.

DATE: January 14, 2004
OPPONENT: St. Joe's Metuchen (Away)

Defeating St. Joseph's for the second time this season, Seton Hall Prep won the game by the final score of 6-1. Phil Kropoth tallied four points: two on goals and two on assists. Bryan Haczyk, John Passantino, Nick Lampson, and Matt Janos each scored once for The Hall. Terry Robinson was solid in between the pipes making 22 saves.

DATE: January 24, 2004
OPPONENT: LaSalle High School (Away)

In a closely fought game, Seton Hall Prep finished the contest ahead of out-of-state rival LaSalle by the final score of 3-1. Sophomores Matt Anderson, Jason Adams, and Nick Lampson each scored for The Hall and senior Ryan Sokerka added two assists. Mike Cacciotti, Bryan Haczyk, Phil Kropoth, and Rem Vanderbeek also chipped in with an assist apiece. Terry Robinson halted 22 shots in net.

DATE: February 9, 2004
OPPONENT: Hudson Catholic (Home)

Shots on goal: Seton Hall Prep 70, Hudson Catholic 10. Final Score: Seton Hall Prep 8, Hudson Catholic 0. As these stats dictate, the game was lopsided and very much in favor of Seton Hall. Matt Markovich, John Passantino, and Matt Janos had three points apiece for The Hall; Markovich and Passantino scoring twice and adding one assist and Janos scoring once and chipping in with two assists. Bryan Haczyk netted two goals and Nick Geraci scored one goal and one assist. Ryan Sokerka, Jason Adams, and Rem Vanderbeek each had two assists. Tim Margiotta, Matt Anderson, and Mike Cullen added an assist apiece. Terry Robinson stopped all 10 shots he faced in net.

DATE: February 11, 2004
OPPONENT: Fairfield Prep (Away)

Earlier in the season, the Pirates skated to a tie with the top team in Pennsylvania, and this time The Hall proved, yet again, that they rise to the occasion against out-of-state foes by defeating Connecticut's top-ranked team, Fairfield Prep, 2-1. Nick Lampson and Rem Vanderbeek scored for Seton Hall and Bryan Haczyk assisted on both goals. Kevin Bendel was superlative in net stopping 28 shots.

DATE: February 25, 2004
OPPONENT: Christian Brothers Academy (Home - Gordon Cup Semifinals)

Wow! This very tight, nail-biting game, which could have gone either way, went in favor of the Pirates as they defeated the Colts of Christian Brothers Academy, 2-1. Bryan Haczyk ignited the Blue and White with a goal in the first period; he was assisted by Rem Vanderbeek and Ryan Sokerka. In the third stanza, John Passantino netted a beautiful wrist shot which beat the opposing goalie high on the stick side. Passantino was assisted by Nick Lampson and Mike Cacciotti. Terry Robinson was nothing short of phenomenal between the pipes for The Hall; he halted 27 shots.

DATE: March 6, 2004
OPPONENT: St. Joe's Metuchen (Home - State Tournament Parochial First Round)

The Pirates breezed through the first round of the parochial bracket of the NJSIAA/New Jersey Devils State Tournament by defeating St. Joseph's Metuchen 7-0. The scoring did not begin until the second period, but once the Blue and White started, they couldn't be stopped. Mike Cacciotti notched three points on one goal and two assists while Nick Lampson recorded two assists. The other goal scorers for Seton Hall were Bryan Haczyk, Rem Vanderbeek, Phil Kropoth, Jason Adams, and senior Mike Cullen, who netted his first goal of the season. Terry Robinson earned his sixth shutout of the year by making 20 saves.

DATE: March 8, 2004
OPPONENT: Bergen Catholic (Home - State Tournament Parochial Quarterfinals)

Games don't get much closer than this! Seton Hall edged out a victory over the Crusaders, avenging the setback that Bergen Catholic handed the Pirates in the Gordon Cup Finals. The top stars of the game were goalie Terry Robinson and forward Bryan Haczyk. Robinson stood on his head, halting 30 shots, while Haczyk scored a beautiful breakaway goal with 2:44 left in the third period to lift the Blue and White to a 2-1 triumph. Rem Vanderbeek started the scoring for The Hall early in the first period when he netted a goal on the power play. That goal was assisted by Bryan Haczyk and Mike Cacciotti. Vanderbeek had an assist on Haczyk's game-winning goal, and so did Ryan Sokerka.

DATE: March 12, 2004
OPPONENT: Christian Brothers Academy (State Tournament Parochial Semifinals)

There have been a couple nail-biting games this year, but so far, this tilt against CBA takes the cake! Despite allowing the first goal of the contest, the Pirates kept chugging away, and it eventually paid off on a power play goal by Mike Cacciotti in the third period. With the two teams locked at 1-1 at the end of regulation, the stage for overtime was set, and for Cacciotti, that meant a chance to score not only the game-tying goal, which he did during regulation, but also an opportunity to score the game-winning goal. Not long into the overtime session, senior defenseman Adrian Wirt flung the puck toward the net, hoping to create a scoring chance. Well, he did more than create just a chance, he created the shot that won the game for Seton Hall Prep! Cacciotti redirected Wirt's shot into the back of the net. Rejoicing ensued and The Hall now moves on to the State Tournament Parochial Finals at the Meadowlands. Against CBA, the Pirates fought hard and triumphed as a team. Cacciotti stood out with his two goals, and so did senior goaltender Terry Robinson, stopping shot after shot. Even though there were a few standouts in the game, it was a solid team effort by everyone at Seton Hall.

DATE: March 20, 2004
OPPONENT: St. Peter's Prep (State Tournament Parochial Finals)

Simply...amazing! After, what could be considered, an up and down season, by Seton Hall Prep Hockey standards, the Pirates really pulled together and exacted revenge against the St. Peter's Prep Marauders in the NJSIAA/New Jersey Devils Parochial Finals. Bryan Haczyk scored all three goals for The Hall, one of which was an empty net goal. Ryan Sokerka, Rem Vanderbeek, Nick Lampson, and Mike Cacciotti all had one assist apiece. And, perhaps most truly deserving of the trophy, senior goaltender Terry Robinson halted 29 out of 30 shots he faced to seal the victory for Seton Hall. Final score: SHP 3, SPP 1.

DATE: March 22, 2004
OPPONENT: West Essex (State Tournament Overall Finals)

Champions! The Pirates win the Overall State Finals defeating the Knights of West Essex 8-0. This marks the third time in Seton Hall Prep's history that the school has won the Overall Ice Hockey State Finals. Dustin Kennedy started the scoring 12 seconds into the game, and that's all the Prep needed to remain on top. Rem Vanderbeek registered the hat trick and also added an assist. Bryan Haczyk scored one goal and four assists while Nick Lampson notched one goal and two assists. Forwards Mike Cacciotti and John Passantino contributed with a goal and assist apiece. To go along with his opening goal, Dustin Kennedy added four assists. The entire squad of defensemen played very well to preserve the shutout for goalie Terry Robinson, who registered his first point of the year by assisting on Lampson's goal. This truly was a great end to a super season by the Pirates of Seton Hall!