Atlantic City, NJ (Feb. 4, 2012) - Playing in perhaps the single most important game of the Crusader season, and likely their ten-year history, the Vern (18-4-2) defeated Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.  The game held many storylines, including clinching a playoff birth in the DVCHC conference, a potential trip to the ACHA Regional tournament in two weeks, and equally important, an invitation back to the Empire Classic Tournament next November.
 
The Vern, traveling to Atlantic City, were gambling with high stakes--a loss would almost certainly close the door on any postseason action, while a win kept a shot at Regional play very probable.  The match up featured the ACHA Atlantic Region #8 ranked Stockton College Ospreys who held a two point advantage in the DVCHC standings over Alvernia.  Adding even more intrigue to the game was the fact the Vern, ranked #7 in the Atlantic, and had never won a game in Atlantic City.  Stockton rides a serious home rink advantage that has left many teams left with long bus rides home.  Situated literally in the shadows of the Borgatta and Caesar's Palace, the Flyers Skate Zone Atlantic City has been a horror house of past defeats for the Crusaders.
 
Sunday afternoon reversed the curse of the Jersey Shore as Alvernia won a convincing contest that featured plenty of hits, penalties and goals.  Freshman Jimmy McKelvie (Hatfield, Pa. / North Penn HS) fired home two laser beam goals on the day. McKelvie scored bookend goals opening the scoring for the Vern in the first period and closing the contest with a late extra insurance goal.  He torched the lamp twice from similar angles; the first was a slap shot from just below the left faceoff dot high over the Osprey goaltender's stick side.  The latter, a lethal laser wrist shot from the lower right face off circle.  The two-goal output were McKelvie's tenth and eleventh tallies of the season.
 
A quick 1-0 lead proved to be a great confidence booster which led to a goal from Kevin Mengel (Gilbertsville, Pa. / Boyertown HS) goal just four minutes later.  The Vern's 2-0 lead disappeared early in the second period when Stockton benefited from their second power play goal over a six minute span.  The contest remained locked in a tie for nearly 12 minutes with the season clearly on the line.  Alvernia turned to a new gun for hire Max Matejik ( Fallington, Pa. / Notre Dame HS ) who added a his own power play goal battling for a loose rebound on the goal line giving a much needed boost of momentum on the scoreboard.  The Crusader's matched Stockton's power play goals as defenseman Kevin Meers (Morgantown, Pa / Twin Valley HS) notched the eventual game winner with 31 seconds left in the second period.  Meers fired home a snap shot from the top of the left face off circle thru a sea of humanity giving the Crusaders breathing room at 4-2. Meers leads Alvernia defensemen with seven goals on the season.
 
Skating into the final period, Stockton was determined to narrow the margin and did just that with about 12 minutes remaining in regulation pulling to within one goal.  What could have been major momentum swing was erased only 13 seconds after the ensuing face off.  Senior Sean Castineira (Philadelphia, Pa. / Roman Catholic HS) shot out of the Vern's neutral zone finding light behind the Osprey defense and fired a close range wrist shot behind the visiting goalie.  Castineira's team leading 15^th goal cancelled out the Stockton rally abruptly, and McKelvie's bullet blast just over a minute later secured the Crusader's three goal cushion over the final ten minutes of regulation.
 
Goaltender Patrick Murray (Cranford, NJ / Cranford HS) played solid for the Vern facing 41 shots which included several 5-on-3 shorthanded kills.  Also not seen on the score sheet was the exceptional defensive efforts of Senior Ian Meiskey (Lancaster, Pa. / Hempfield HS) and junior Andrew Dziedzic (Philadelphia, Pa. / Father Judge HS). Dziedzic lowered the boom in the second period upending an Osprey forward attempting to squeeze between the defenseman and the left wing neutral zone boards. Dziedzic perfectly timed and sent the opposition forward horizontal and airborne with a force full hip and shoulder check. Dziedzic had been quietly making his presence known, however the hit which occurred with the score deadlocked at 2-2 helped provide energy thru the team bench.
 
The Crusaders effectively closed out the game systematically shutting down any offensive attempts from Stockton with a lazy fore check that clogged up the neutral zones.  The win has insured that the Crusaders will once again advance to the DVCHC conference playoffs Feb. 23-25 with their second place finish.  The two points moved Alvernia into a tie with Stockton and win the tie breaker by virtue of their 2-0 regular season head to head record.
 
The ACHA final Ranking will be posted on Friday Feb. 10 and will determine if Alvernia Ice Hockey will make its first postseason appearance as a top 10 Atlantic team.