Photo by: Arch Scurlock

The NOVA hockey team, replenished for the spring semester with the addition of some new players but the loss of others, had three games remaining in its Atlantic Division of the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference. The results of those games would determine whether it would reach the playoffs, as four of the eight Atlantic Division teams reach them.

The first game, after almost two months off from game competition, was against arch-rival George Mason University at the Mount Vernon ice rink on Friday night, Jan. 21, a team NOVA had earlier beaten in overtime this season.

That game saw NOVA having to play catch-up for most of the night. From deficits of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3, NOVA came back to tie each time. After the first period, it was 2-1 GMU, and after the second period it was 4-3 GMU.

Unfortunately, when GMU went up 5-4 in the third and deciding period with 5:20 to go, NOVA did not respond as usual as GMU scored again on a one man breakaway at 2:10. An empty-net game at the end made the final score 7-4 in George Mason’s favor.

For NOVA, goals were scored by Devon Carter, James Powers, Mike Pigini and then Chris Altice, with NOVA a player down due to penalty. NOVA goalie Joseph Aronhime notched 21 saves, while GMU’s goalie came up with 37, including 20 in the first period.

After the game, coach Barrett Haga remarked, “We had a little problem with team chemistry. We lost a couple of players. We’ll be OK. We played very, very well. We have a big weekend coming up as Friday and Saturday are must-win games for us making the playoffs.”

Referring to those games, NOVA next played William and Mary on Jan. 28 at Mount Vernon and then James Madison at Rockville the next night.

Five teams are above NOVA at the moment, but three of them are just one win above, including W&M and JMU. So it appears that NOVA will have to win both these final two division games to gain the playoffs.

By: Arch Scurlock

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