CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) selected Andrew Romano (Drexel Hill, Pa) as its PrestoSports Men's Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week. The conference also named Nick Modica (Suffern, N.Y.) as this week's PrestoSports Men's Ice Hockey Goaltender of the Week while Matt Petizian (Mississauga, Ont.) was honored as the PrestoSports Men's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week.
Geneseo's Romano recorded six points as the Knights earned a pair of non-conference victories. Against King's, Romano scored the first goal of the game, the eventual game-winner, just 18 seconds into the contest. He finished with two goals and two assists as the Knights rolled the Monarchs, 11-0. Against Neumann, Romano added a pair of assists, including an assist on the game-winner in the third period, to lead Geneseo past the visitors, 7-4. Romano leads the country with 20 assists and 1.54 assists per game.
Cortland's Modica was named the Most Valuable Player at the Norwich University Northfield Savings Bank Holiday Tournament this past weekend, posting a 1-0-1 record with a 2.88 GAA, 92 saves and a .939 save percentage. In a 5-4 win over sixth-ranked Salve Regina on Friday, Modica registered 53 saves, including 20 in the third period as Cortland held off the Seahawks. He then turned aside 39 shots through regulation and overtime as the Red Dragons skated to a 2-2 tie against nationally fourth-ranked Norwich on Saturday. Modica sealed the tournament title for Cortland, stopping the last three shootout attempts by the Cadets as the Red Dragons won the shootout, 2-1, and secured their fifth consecutive in-season tournament in the last six seasons.
Geneseo's Petizian helped the Knights to a shutout win on Friday night, as the team defeated visiting King's, 11-0. Petizian turned away 11 shots in 50:13 of action to preserve the scoreless victory. He combined with fellow first-year Christian Roth to produce the Knights' first team shutout of the season.