Sandro Aeschlimann '19, a first-year goaltender from Zäziwil, Switzerland, stepped in on Saturday against Nazareth College and performed admirably after starting netminder Sal Magliocco '17 left the ice with an injury. Aeschlimann stopped the first 19 shots he faced in the first two periods, finishing with 31 saves overall to guide the Soaring Eagles to their first win of the season and the first of his career.
Only 4:18 after the rookie entered the game, EC was assessed a two-minute penalty. With the game tied 1-1, Aeschlimann made a pair of saves to help the man-down unit kill the power play. Seconds after the Purple and Gold returned to full strength, he flashed his leather for one of many glove saves on the night.
In the final minutes, with Nazareth already on the power play, the Golden Flyers pulled their goaltender, giving them a 6-on-4 advantage. Aeschlimann stopped a pair of shots with the defense down two men. Then, in the final 30 seconds of regulation, he lost his stick in a flurry in front of the net, but was still able to make a final stop.
The EC men's ice hockey team will begin a five-game homestand this weekend when it hosts Hobart College in ECAC West action. The Statesmen will visit the Murray Athletic Center on Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November 21st; the puck drops at 7:00 p.m. for both games.
