Ice Hockey Ends Skid With 3-2 Triumph Over UMass Dartmouth

Worcester MA --- Senior Nathan Stanley (Meridian, ID/Idaho Jr. Steelheads) netted the game-winning 6:58 into the third period on a power play and added an assist to help lead Worcester State to a 3-2 over UMass Dartmouth in MASCAC men's ice hockey action this evening at the Hart Recreation Center.

The Blue and Gold improve to 3-8-2 (2-4-1 MASCAC) and snap a seven-game skid while the Corsairs fall to 2-9-2 and 2-3-2 in league play.

Senior Stephen Rock (Tulsa, OK/Idaho Jr. Steelheads) and junior Nicholas Drill (Madison, WI/Wisconsin Wilderness) also tallied goals and senior Rich Ledy (Marquette, MI/Soo Thunderbirds) added a pair of assists for the Lancers in the winning effort.

Junior Billy Boudreau (Newburyport, MA/Southern Maine) and freshman Shayne Bailey (Quincy, MA/Boston Bandits) potted the two UMass Dartmouth goals in the defeat.

UMD controlled the pace of play for the opening ten minutes, outshooting Worcester State 15-5.

Freshman Kyle Zacharewicz (Ludlow, MA/Trinity-Pawling) had the best chance to score midway through the frame when he took a long pass and out-skated the defense for a breakaway chance. However, his bid was turned away nicely by a pad save from Lancers junior goalkeeper Salvatore Tecci (Franklin, MA/Long Beach Bombers) to keep the score scoreless.

Despite the lopsided attempts on goal sum, the Lancers were able to get on the scoreboard first. At the 12:39 mark of the opening frame, Drill took a feed from Ledy following a turnover in the neutral zone and wristed a shot from the right dot that tucked just under the top left corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

The Lancers carried that advantage into the second period, but the Corsairs took little time to even the score. Boudreau blasted a missile from the left point just four seconds into their first power play of the game to even the score at 1-1 with 17:18 left in the stanza.

The Blue and Gold regained the 2-1 advantage 14:03 into the second period courtesy of the power play when Rock banged in a rebound attempt from the right circle following a shot by Stanley to give the Worcester State the narrow margin.

Stanley registered his team-best fifth goal of the season early in third period which proved to be the match-clinicher when he ripped a shot past Corsairs sophomore goalie J.J. Solloway (Derry, NH/Northern Cyclones) for the 3-1 lead.

UMass Dartmouth fought until the last horn, cutting the deficit to 3-2 when Bailey finished a breakaway chance under the pads of freshman goalie Tyler Fallica (Coram, NY/Ogden Mustangs) who came on in relief to start the second period.

The Corsairs nearly found the equalizer in the final seconds of the contest with the extra man on the ice when freshman Jaret Babych (N. Vancouver, BC/Chilliwack Chiefs) redirected a shot on net that Fallica made a stretching save on to preserve the Worcester State victory.

Fallica stopped 28 shots in the victory to record his first career victory (1-1-1) as Tecci notched 18 saves in the first 20 minutes of the contest. Solloway turned away 26 of the 29 shots he face in the defeat.

UMass Dartmouth dominated in shots, 48-29, and went 2-for-6 with the power play, however, failed to score with a pair of opportunities with the extra-man advantage in the final five minutes of regulation.

Two of WSU's three goals came with opposing players in the penalty box.

The Lancers look to add to their momentum when they travel to Fitchburg State next Saturday for a 5 o'clock start time. Meanwhile, the Corsairs play host to Framingham State Thursday with a 7:30 PM puck drop.

Story By Michael Corso '12 - Sports Information Intern