Game Recap: Hokies' Freshmen Shine in Win Over West Virginia

MORGANTOWN, W.V. - Following a successful four-game homestand, the Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1-1) headed north on Friday afternoon to start a divisional matchup against fellow ACCHL Premier rival West Virginia. In what was a collective 5-1 win by the Hokies, it was the freshman who shone the most against the Mountaineers.

In the first period, Tech dominated offensively, with Zack Stewart kicking off the scoring less than three minutes in with his second goal of the season. Sophomore defensemen JH Lages would tack on another midway through the period with a rocket slap shot from the blue line past West Virginia starter Griffin Knarr. The Mountaineers would pull back with a goal of their own from Will Blair; however, Tech would regain momentum as freshman Jackson DeVivo found the back of the net for his first career goal to make it 3-1.

The start of the second period picked up right where the first left off, with the Hokies continuing their ways of capitalizing on scoring chances. Senior Thao Lanagan was able to wrist one past Knarr, giving Tech a 4-1 lead and ending Knarr's day as backup goaltender Jackson Bernier came in for the relief. Fortunately for the Mountaineers, Bernier was stellar in net, becoming a brick wall against a stubborn Hokies offense that threw everything they had for the remainder of the period. Although West Virginia's offense was outgained in time of possession, shots, and penalties, the game remained close heading into the final period of play.

Much like the last 18 minutes of the second period with Bernier in for the Mountaineers, the Hokies continued to struggle on the offensive end in the third until a goal from freshman Jacob Watchtel made the score 5-1. In a game where, during the week, Head Coach Joey Mullen said it was just as important for the rookies to continue to step up in big situations, two newcomers, DeVivo and Watchel, made their presence felt.

The victory against the Mountaineers marked the Hokies' third straight and their first divisional win within the ACCHl Premier. Senior netminder Ian Kee earned his third win of the season, backed by another stellar defensive performance. The two teams will clash once again on Saturday afternoon as Tech looks to sweep the weekend series against its divisional rival.

Fans can watch the game live on the Mountaineer Hockey Network on YouTube starting at 2:30 pm. Make sure to stay updated with VTHN and VT Hockey on all social platforms this season.