NEWARK, NJ - A new era in NJIT men's hockey began tonight as Dennis Sikorjak started his 1st season as the head of the program as GM and Head Coach. He succeeds longtime GM/Head Coach Bob McMorrow who formally retired after the inaugural Hall of Fame/Awards Banquet last spring. Their opponent tonight was a familiar foe in the Stevens Ducks who left the ACHA for AAU College Hockey. The Highlanders got a dramatic 4-3 shootout win and it is the team's 1st win over the Ducks since September 2022.
Sophomore Noah Bergen scored on the power play early in the 1st period to give NJIT a lead. Newcomer Charles Youse and Brenden Smith got the assists. Stevens tied the game on the power play with less than two minutes left in the 1st. But, Bergen responded with his 2nd with 42 seconds left on the clock. Sal Micciche and Brenden Smith (with his 2nd) got the helpers. The Highlanders would extend to a two-goal lead with Sal Micciche getting an early 2nd period goal. Smith would get his 3rd assist and Freshman Brian Szastak getting the other assist. The Ducks would get their 2nd power play goal halfway through the period to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The 3-2 score would hold for the majority of the 3rd period until Stevens got a late power play with 21 seconds left to go. This allowed the Ducks to have a 6-on-4 advantage with the net empty and they would tie the game with five seconds left. The game would shift into a five minute, 3-on-3 overtime session. NJIT had a golden opportunity to end the game with a five minute major penalty late in the period that gave them a 4-on-3 power play. Unfortunately, the opportunity was wasted when the Highlanders took a penalty with 31 seconds left. The game then went to a three inning shootout where both Bergen and Micciche scored and Puletz made a save in the bottom of the 1st. Puletz ended the game and shootout with a save in the bottom of the 2nd inning to get the Highlanders a season opening win.
Goals: Bergen (2), MiccicheÂ
Shootout Goals: Micciche, Bergen
Assists: Smith (3), Youse, Micciche, Szastak
Saves: Bergen - 35 saves
SOG: Stevens - 38Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NJIT - 30
PP: Stevens - 3/8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NJIT - 1/9
NJIT will begin six straight road games next week with two games in Maryland next weekend against the University of Maryland and UMBC. The Highlanders next home game will not be until October 19th against TCNJ at 8:30.
