Bulldog Hockey Loses to Livingston

Livingston goalie Abe Matar stopped 16 shots and Jonny Garfinkel added two goals and two assists, as the Lancers handled Dayton, 6-3, at the Richard J. Codey Arena.

Andrew Hirschorn, who added a goal and assist, helped Livingston win its second-straight game and was pleased with how poised the Lancers kept its composure during a very chippy contest. After getting down 5-1, Dayton spent much of its time trying to unnerve the Lancers with big hits and back-and-forth jawing. Hirschorn said keeping their cool and not letting the mounting penalties bother them was just as key as odd-man rushes.

"We played a tough game to the end," Hirschorn said. "We stayed tough and poised."

Garfinkel, who found himself on the end of many checks and hard shoves, said his teammates were forewarned that the intensity would pick up after brandishing such a large lead.

"When they took their timeout [during the second period], coach told us they're going to play chippy because they're losing," Garfinkel reasoned. "So we had to keep our heads and not risk a DQ or make a mistake. Altogether, we kept our heads."

Livingston got off to a fast start when Garfinkel fed Hirschorn with a one-timer at 5:31 of the first period. Sam Tafel also recorded an assist on the play, as the Lancers capitalized on a Dayton turnover on its own end, forcing a three-on-two advantage. Two minutes later, Livingston scored again, as Garfinkel ripped a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle with 3:36 remaining. Hirschorn returned the favor, as he assisted on that goal.

It was apparent early that the Lancers were a step faster and a few passes ahead of Dayton, taking a quick 2-1 advantage after one. Garfinkel attributed Livingston's attrition to a heavy workout regimen.

"We only have two lines to work with, so we're really working hard and trying to play with full stamina," he said. "Coach has us working out everyday and running and working on conditioning."

Surely, the extra work paid off, as Dayton could only muster a late power-play goal by Mike Tarantula with 2:45 remaining in the game. Tarantula was joined by Bobby Houston as the only goal scorers. Tarantula and Brian Camp assisted on the goals.

Garfinkel, in all frankness afterwards, said Matar played well enough to earn a shutout and that he should've only been credited with one goal allowed.

"One [the first goal] was a screen," he said. "But the other, the guy kind of threw it with his hand, which was questionable."

The latter was Tarantula's, which came as a result of a mad dash to the net. With bodies everywhere at the feet of Matar, somehow the puck squeezed through, leaving the Lancers a bit perturbed.

But it could've been worse. Matar could've suffered the fate of goalie Dan Dubeau, who was peppered with 33 shots.

"He didn't have too much to do," Hirschorn said, needling Matar afterwards. "On offense, we just needed to get clean passes and [many] shots on net. Their goalie wasn't too fantastic, so we were able to make shots down low."