Dutchmen Dominate Under-18 Team
SCHENECTADY, NY -- Mario Valery-Trabucco and Luke Cain each had
a goal and an assist, but a well-rounded assault by the Union
College men's ice hockey team led to a 4-1 victory against the
United States Under-18 Development team Friday night at Messa Rink.
The loss is the first for the U-18 team against a ECAC Hockey
opponent since the 2005-06 season. Union, which is on a nine-game
regular season unbeaten streak, halted the U-18's chance to improve
to 10-0-1 against the league.
Valery-Trabucco, Union's leading goal scorer with 10 goals and 11
assists, registered Union's third goal of the game at 5:34 into the
third period after Jacob Fallon made it 2-1 at 19:54 of the second.
Valery-Trabucco showed off his sniping abilities, finding the
upper-right corner from the left face-off dot.
Cain produced Union's first goal off a deflection at 2:23 of the
first. Union worked the offensive zone and Kyle Bodie found Mike
Wakita at the point for a clear shot. The puck was tipped by Cain
from a foot atop the crease.
The game-winner went to Jason Walters with a friendly bounce
through the legs of U-18 goaltender Jack Campbell. Valery-Trabucco
sent a pass from the right halfwall towards the goal where Walters
got a piece at 10:10 of the first.
Kelly Zajac put the game out of reach at 11:24 of the third,
showing off his hands downlow. After Campbell made a diving glove
save, Zajac followed his own rebound to make it 4-1.
Between the pipes, Corey Milan turned away 20 shots in his first
start since Nov. 7. At the other end, Campbell made 23 stops.
Special teams stood strong for the Dutchmen, who registered a
power-play goal and killed off all five U-18 PP chances.
Union returns to the ice after winter break on Tuesday, Dec. 29
with a 4 p.m. contest against 15th-ranked UMass in the opening game
of the UConn Tournament. The Dutchmen will either face the Huskies
or Bentley the following day.












