Asterito Notches Hat-Trick in 8-5 Victory over Assumption

Worcester State 8, Assumption 5

Box Score

Worcester, MA --- Freshman Nick Asterito (Philadelphia, PA) recorded his first career hat-trick and he also scored the decisive marker with 7:46 in the third to help propel Worcester State to an 8-5 win this evening at Horgan Rink in ECAC Northeast action.

Assumption (6-15-4, 4-9-3 ECAC NE) took a commanding 3-0 lead with two goals scored by junior Adam Gaudreau (Londonderry, NH) in a seven minute span midway through the opening stanza. Gaudreau capped off the run at 12:04 with a power play with first-year classmates Kevin Glanzman (Massapequa, NY) and Tyler Larson (Blackstone, MA) each adding assists.

Asterito helped the Lancers (6-13-3, 4-8-3 ECAC NE) answer back when he potted a pair of markers with the extra man advantage at 14:33 and 17:06 in the first. Worcester State then tied the score 3-3 in the beginning of the second period at 2:18 on junior Mark Rintel’s (Queens, NY) 11th goal of the season on an assist by junior Tim Stalmok (Paxton, MA).

The Ice Dogs went ahead 4-3 on a tally by Mark Labb (Longmeadow, MA) three minutes later, but junior netminder Brian Robinson (Groveland, MA) stopped Assumptions next 11 shots to shut the visitors down in the second and help WSC end the period with the 5-4 lead. WSC scored the equalizer on a goal by junior Lee Belisle (Chicopee, MA) at 11:03 and then freshman John Cahalane (Tewksbury, MA) registered the go-ahead marker at 16:58.

Sophomore Patrick Fitzgibbons (Holliston, MA) helped Assumption respond when he tied the game back up just 41 seconds off the clock in the third, but the Lancers would score three unanswered goals – starting with Asterito’s game-winner on a power-play opportunity - to take control of the game as they ended with the hard-fought victory.

Rintel added an insurance marker at 9:31 in the third on a short-handed goal and freshman Cody Warila (Shirley, MA) helped break the game open with 2½ minutes left in the contest for the final score.

Eight goals ties the most this season for WSC after they scored the same amount in a 12-8 setback to Salve Regina this past Monday. The Lancers were a perfect 3-for-3 with the extra man advantage while the visitors finished 2-for-5.

Cahalane and Rintel now share the team-lead in goals with 12 while Warila and Belisle each have a squad-best 16 assists each. Worcester State sophomore Billy O’Neil (Strafford, PA) also sent in three helpers with a dish in the first and the last two in the game. With Larson’s two assists in the first, he now remains in second in the Northeast 10 with 20 points, which also best mark on the squad.

Robinson upped his record to 2-2 as he collected 26 saves. Freshman DJ Pinkham (Malden, MA) gave way to junior Jamie Di Giulio (Peabody, MA) in beginning of the third period, who took the loss between the pipes for the Ice Dogs. The two goalies ended the evening with 18 stops for Assumption.

The Lancers will close out the season with an away contest against Plymouth State on Saturday at 6 PM and then end the year with a postponed contest against Johnson & Wales on Tuesday at 6:30. Assumption ends their 2009 campaign when they entertain Curry at 7:30 on Saturday.