Newark, NJ - The Highlanders bounced back in a big way after a disappointing performance against St. Thomas Aquinas last weekend by winning 7-3 over D2 TCNJ. NJIT wins the series series over the Lions 2-0 and are 3-2 in non-ACHA games. The Highlanders have also earned their 1st victory at RWJ this season.

NJIT scored all three goals in the 1st period. Noah Bergen got a power play nearly two minutes into the period with Rohan Ganta and Matthew Francescutto with the assists. Ganta would get the 2nd goal almost three minutes later as Jeff Patterson and Brenden Smith got the helpers. Sal Micciche would score with 44 seconds remaining to give Highlanders a 3-0 lead after the 1st intermission. Ganta and Brendan Clayton got the tallies.

Micciche would get his 2nd of the night 40 seconds into the period to give NJIT a 4-goal lead. Noah Bergen would get his 2nd second several minutes later assisted again by Ganta and Francescutto. Micciche would get the hat-trick on a power play past the halfway mark of the period to give NJIT a commanding 6-0 lead. Ganta would have the lone assist on the goal. TCNJ would get their 1st goal on the power play with 1:50 left but would trail by five after two periods.

The 3rd period would be a sloppy and chippy affair as both teams took a total of nine penalties in the stanza. The Lions would score the next 2 goals to make it exciting and would have a big opportunity to further cut the lead as the Highlanders took two penalties giving the Lions a 3-man advantage when they pulled their goalie. But NJIT sealed the victory as Micciche scored shorthanded with 32 seconds left into the empty net. Colby Puletz made 38 saves on the night.

Goals: Bergen (2), Ganta, Micciche (4)
Assists: Ganta (4), Francescutto (2), Patterson, Smith
Saves: Puletz 38 saves
SOG: TCNJ - 41                         NJIT - 29
PP: NJIT - 2/8                             TCNJ - 2/11
PK: NJIT - 9/11                           TCNJ - 6/8

NJIT will play against Yale in a MCHC conference game this coming Friday at 8:30 at RWJ.