BOX SCORE

Atlantic City, NJ ( Sat. Nov. 16, 2013 ) - The Crusaders ( 10-5-1 ) won a pivotal DVCHC clash with hard-hitting Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. The Vern rumbled into the Atlantic City Flyers Skate Zone and played smash mouth hockey earning the 8-5 victory. Total team defense combined with balanced scoring led to the Crusaders best hockey of the season.

Perhaps one of the toughest places to play the Vern buckled up the chinstraps leveling the boom on the #7 ranked Ospreys. Stockton coming off major wins over Neumann University and PSU Brandywine will prove to be a big confidence builder for the Crusaders.

The Vern trailed 2-0 early appearing destined for a long day in Jersey turned the table scoring six of the next seven goals in the game. Brian Callahan ( Willow Grove, Pa / Upper Moreland HS ) opened the scoring with his 10th tally of the season closing the gap to 2-1.

Aiden Campbell ( Foxboro, Mass / Foxboro HS ) tied the game with less 36 ticks left on the open period. Campbell intercepted a mishandled turnover by Osprey goaltender and stuck in high in the glove-side twine.

The Vern gave up a early second period goal to trail 3-2 and responded with a flurry of offense scoring four goals in less than four minutes building a commanding 6-3 lead.

That quickly the momentum of the game and the season may have tilted in the fastest, most crucial moments of the season.

Two old faces impacted the score sheet as senior captain Lucien Staquet ( Downingtown, Pa / Downingtown West HS ) and junior Kevin Meers ( Morgantown, Pa / Twin Valley HS ) scored on similar plays only minutes apart. Staquet and Meers created odd man rushes both holding for the shot and slipping shots in the cage.

Jimmy McKelvie ( Hatfield, Pa / North Penn HS ) contributed his 18th and 19th goals of the season including the eventual game-winner. McKelvie on fire of late added three assists which gave him a 10-point weekend between Stockton and Neumann games. McKelvie made a career this weekend with six goals against quality opponents.

Nico Delgiorno ( Columbia, Pa / Hempfield HS ) reached a new Alvernia hockey milestone. Scoring his 24th and 25th goals of the season now places him with the all-time goals in a season record when he notched number 24.  The record previously held and set by 2013 grad Kevin Mengel now belongs to Delgiorno with 10 games left in the regular season. Equally impressive about Delgiorno's hot hand is the number of games it was accomplished, 16 to be exact.

The Crusaders got a pressure effort from goaltender Patrick Murray ( Cranford, NJ / Seton Hall Prep )  earning his first win of the season after a long hiatus. Murray stopped 39 shots facing 44 on the night.

Alvernia 8, Richard Stockton 5