The Spectrum

Issue date: 12/8/05 Section: Sports

Members of the Pioneers talk strategy on the bench between plays.

With three wins in three games, and two against tough non-conference opponents, the Pioneers looked to bring some success back to their league play against the team that started their streak.

The Black Knights, however, were not about to go down easily.

Army defeated Sacred Heart 2-1 Sunday afternoon at West Point, effectively shutting down the Pioneer offense and halting their roll. The Pioneers managed only one goal in the game, after scoring 16 in their previous three.

"Our powerplay has been hot," defenseman Charles Veilleux, of Quebec City, QC, said, "and our first line has been real good. (Bear) Trapp has been a good fit with those guys. We just couldn't get things going against Army."

Luke Flicek scored and added an assist, and Corey Rudd had two assists for the Black Knights, who won for the second time this season. Sacred Heart fell to 6-3-1 in league matchups, good for third place in the Atlantic Hockey League.

Sacred Heart is not satisfied with their third place standing.

"We are way better this season because most of the guys are taking the game very seriously and we are preparing adequately for games," said junior goaltender Jason Smith, who was named the Atlantic Hockey League goaltender of the week for the second time this season.

Smith played three games, had a record of 2-1 and stopped 90 of 96 shots. In RPI on Friday, he made 44 saves to lead his Pioneers to a 4-3 OT victory.

Smith feels the team is only going to get better, especially as the young players develop.

"We have a great recruiting class and all of them are capable of playing," he said.

In fact, one of the team's hottest players of late has been freshman forward Bear Trapp.

Trapp, from Regina, SK was named the Enterprise Rent-A-Car / Sacred Heart University Student Athlete of the Week for the week of Nov. 28 to Dec. 4.

This past week, Trapp had three goals and one assist, with two game-winning goals. His four total game winning goals tie him for first in the nation for college hockey.

The team plays tonight versus the Connecticut Huskies.

"The games against UONN are very important because we are in a constant battle in our league with Holy Cross and Mercyhurst," said senior forward Chris Connerty, of Raynham, Mass. "It's a race from start to finish. We will definitely come out strong and play just like we have been playing so far and how we will be playing for the rest of the season."

Tickets are still available for the game, at the MIP, Exit 35 off I-95. Puck drops at 7p.m.

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