Team Notes: Brown Set to Return to Ice After Lengthy Hiatus

The following article appeared December 31 on the Brown Web site.

After closing the first part of their schedule on a five-game winning streak, the Brown men's hockey team (5-7-1) is set to return to the ice to begin the 2010 calendar year with a two-game series at St. Cloud State this weekend. The Bears have been off since December 8, a 5-2 win over AIC, taking a three-and-a-half week break for exams and the holidays. This weekend's series, to be played on Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3, will begin a stretch of six straight road games for the Bears, who will not be home again until January 29th against RPI. Both games this weekend begin at 6:07 p.m. CST and will be streamed on B2 Networks.

This Weekend: Brown makes its fourth trip out to St. Cloud all-time to face the Huskies for the 8th and 9th time in the history of the two teams. Brown will look to continue its current five-game winning streak, the nation's 7th-longest such streak, in Saturday's game. The Bears are also in search of their first victory over St. Cloud in games played in Minnesota, as they are 0-5-1 in away games. Brown's only win came during the 2001-02 season when the Bears' picked up a 4-1 victory over the Huskies, then ranked #2 in the country, at Meehan. After playing six of their last seven and eight of their last 10 games at home, this weekend's series also begins a stretch of six straight away games for Brown, including a trip to New York's North Country at the tail end.

Last Time Out: Brown closed the semester with a non-league, 5-2, victory over AIC, the fifth straight win for the Bears. Brown stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the opening 8 minutes, as sophomore Jack Maclellan and senior Aaron Volpatti each had a goal and two assists in that span. Sophomore Jeff Buvinow scored the second goal, while freshman Richie Crowley and junior Jeremy Russell also had assists. After AIC scored a pair of goals 3:10 apart to make it a one-goal game, junior Harry Zolnierczyk added an unassisted score with 2:36 left in the period for a 4-2 lead. The two teams were quiet until 15:21 of the third period when freshman Chris Zaires scored off assists from junior Jesse Fratkin and senior Devin Timberlake. Sophomore Mike Clemente picked up his fifth victory of the year with 24 saves.

Complete article can be accessed via the Brown Web site by clicking here.