Kent State Shows Well against CHMA Powers
Golden Flashes can rest up for re-match with RMU
Taking advantage of an open weekend on their schedule, the Kent State University Golden Flashes will have extra time during the Thanksgiving weekend to prepare for their rematch with Robert Morris University on December 3rd.
Kent narrowly lost to College Hockey Mid-America (CHMA) defending league champions, RMU, 2-1 last Friday in a game that featured two of the top three scorers in the American Collegiate Hockey League (ACHA) D-I.
Colonials’ forward Justin Adamski is averaging 2.06 points per game (37 points, 9 G, 28 A) while teammate Roman Kraemer has 36 points (20 G, 16A) for a 2.00 points per game average.
Niagara University’s David Christopher leads the ACHA D-I in scoring with 42 points via 20 goals and 22 assists.
“That was some of the best hockey we have played,” declared Kent State head coach Zack Nowak while discussing the effort of his team. “We outshot them (37-25) and outplayed them all over the ice. We couldn’t quite get the puck in the net.”
Kraemer netted both of the Colonials’ goals, while Adamski and Giovanni Palombo assisted on each of the Kraemer efforts.
Jacob Friedman scored the Golden Flashes’ lone goal.
“We learned a lot from that game and will make some adjustments. Part of us thinks luck will turn our way and we just want to get another look at (them),” Nowak said.
UP TO THE CHALLENGE
After playing the defending CHMA league champions on Friday, the Golden Flashes skated to a 4-2 victory against the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks on Saturday. IUP (6-2-0) is currently in first place in the CHMA.
“We were a little bit slower in the first two periods and it was tied 2-2 going into the third,” recounted Nowak. “We have been talking a lot about our third period performances.”
Prior to the recent three games in Michigan, the Golden Flashes were 0-6 in games in which the score was tied at the beginning of the third period.
“We changed that narrative against Cleary and Eastern Michigan and we were able to push forward from that. We went into the third period tied against IUP and the guys just turned it on.”
A pair of third period goals propelled Kent to the league victory.
Zachary Zwierecki tallied two goals for the Golden Flashes while Hunter Hillebrecht and Friedman each added a goal.
The Flashes (11-6-1, 2-2-1) return to the ice for their final game of the 2021 portion of their schedule when they travel to play Robert Morris University for the rematch.
“We’ve enjoyed league play so far. It has been really fun and competitive,” offered Nowak.
BlueLineNotes:
> Each of the Golden Flashes past three games against Robert Morris University has been settled by a single goal.
> Kent has scored four goals in each of their most recent four victories.
> The next home game for the Golden Flashes is scheduled for January 7, 2022, against Concordia University.
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