BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 | BOX SCORE 3 | BOX SCORE 4 Aston, Pa. (Sept. 23, 2012) - The 2012 season started with an Iron Man tournament featuring four games in less than 48 hours for the Crusader Ice Hockey Squad.  The Crusaders reeled off four straight wins in emphatic fashion, blitzing the opponents with lopsided losses.  The Vern, playing in the 2012 ACHA Iceworks Fall College Showcase posted wins over Old Dominion University, Bloomsburg University, University of Pennsylvania and the finale game Fordham University.
 
The Crusaders never trailed over the weekend and only once did they get equaled on the scoreboard--after the puck dropped in the opening game.  The Friday night season-opener featured the DIII Old Dominion University Monarchs.  The Crusader's newly appointed team captain, Lucien Staquet (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) pumped home four consecutive goals en route to a 5-1 win.  Defensive standout performances included junior Kevin Meers (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) and junior goaltender Patrick Murray (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) who stopped 18 shots.
 
The unprecedented double dip games on Saturday had the Vern smacking Bloomsburg University 11-1, while drubbing the University of Pennsylvania in the night cap 11-3.
The Crusaders ripped the Bloomsburg Huskies, taking a commanding 5-0 lead after the first period with five different goal scorers.  Goal scorers included Colin Goebel (Willow Grove, Pa./Upper Moreland), Patrick Dolan (Cranford, Pa./Cranford),Staquet, freshmen Ian Meers (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) and Scott Dressler (West Milford, NJ/West Milford).  The Vern hung another five spot on Bloomsburg in the second period taking a commanding 10-0 lead into the final period.
 
More offensive contributions came from freshman Billy Borrmann (Long Beach, Ca./Somerset) who tallied his first collegiate goal and collected two helpers.  Borrmann wreaked havoc the entire tournament on the opposition with relentless physical prowess.  Borrmann, a hard checking forward was the total package all weekend, contributing with precision passing, big time hits and a nose for the net.
 
The night cap against UPenn was more of the same, as the Crusaders posted crooked numbers in the first two periods taking a commanding 10-2 lead into final intermission. Once again, Goebel added a two goal performance including a crafty wrap-around stuffer inside the Quaker goaltenders late attempt to hug the post.
 
Freshman Nico Delgiorno (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield) was all over the score sheet this weekend compiling three goals and seven assists for a team leading ten points. 
 
The Sunday morning finale with Fordham University appeared to be the toughest challenge for the Crusaders.  Battling a late night finish with a 12-hour turn around, the Vern found legs and muscled and hustled their way to a 5-1 lead late in the second period.  Senior defenseman Travis Gold (Hagerstown, Md./Hempfield) scored the eventual game winner at the 8:08 mark of the first period.  Gold fired home two goals on the weekend from the blue line adding another element to the Crusader scoring attack.
 
Starting goaltender Murray collected the bookend wins, relinquishing just two goals over two games while turning away 27 shots on Sunday.  The 6-1 win equaled the same score the Crusaders defeated Fordham by last year at the same tournament.
 
The depth of the Crusader's roster was on display this weekend with 30 players adding to the weekend wins.  Freshman goaltender James Bangar (Whittier, Ca./La Miranda) was credited with his first collegiate win in the pipes for Bloomsburg game, while junior Sean Boyd (Churchville, Pa./Council Rock) looked equally impressive facing 23 shots and stopping numerous high percentage scoring opportunities early in the University of Pennsylvania win.
 
Alvernia got a quick boost running their early record to 4-0 and will travel to Salisbury University next Sunday for a tough match up with a strong ACHA Southern Division foe.