Ice Hockey Keeps Streak Alive In 4-3 Victory Over Salem State

Worcester, MA --- Junior Joe White (Wonder Lake, IL/Southern Oregon Spartans) deposited the eventual game-winning tally with 6:06 remaining in the second stanza to help pace Worcester State to a 4-3 triumph over Salem State in MASCAC men’s ice hockey action this evening at the Hart Recreation Center.

With the victory, the Lancers (8-14-2, 6-10-1 MASCAC) run their streak to four games while the Vikings fell to 12-10-3 (9-7-2 MASCAC) in their regular season finale.

As Salem State nursed the 2-1 advantage entering the second period, the Lancers registered three unanswered goals to take control of the contest with the 4-2 edge.

Junior Nicholas Drill (Madison, WI/Wisconsin Wilderness) scored the equalizer on a one-timer following the faceoff by sophomore Alex DeWitz (Oronco, MN/Helena Bighorns) at the 2:54 mark.

Sophomore Jim LeNoir (Exton, PA/Philadelphia Jr. Flyers) followed by lifting a rocket through traffic for an unassisted tally midway through the frame before White finished off the run on his fourth of the campaign when he stole the puck in the neutral zone and beat the goalie down low for the two-goal advantage.

Play was even until the third period until the freshman Derek Makimaa (Swartz Creek, MI/Bay State Breakers) helped the hosts get within a goal.

Following passes by junior Gabriel Cromp (Montreal, Quebec/Castleton State) and freshman Ian Canty (S. Windsor, CT/Bridgewater Bandits, Makimaa darted past the back line on a breakaway and fired one past freshman net minder Tyler Fallica (Coram, NY).

After the Lancers killed a power play late in the third, the Vikings lifted their goalie twice, but the visitors could only muster one shot in the final 90 seconds of regulation.

Salem State originally broke the ice midway through the first when sophomore Alex Minter (Peabody, MA/Boston Jr. Rangers) and freshman Michael Casale (Stoney Creek, Ontario/Kingston Voyageurs) both lit up the lamp 1:43 apart.

The Lancers, however, soon responded and cut the deficit in half when senior Stephen Rock (Tulsa, OK/Idaho Jr Steelheads) found the back of the net off a rebound.

Freshman Jason Pucciarelli (Newmarket, Ontario) stopped 23 shots in 59:10 minutes of action as his record dropped to 7-5-2. Fallica (6-7-1) collected 23 saves in the win for WSU.

The Vikings scored one out of their three power play chances while the Lancers were 0-for-3. WSU held the slim 27-26 margin in attempts on goal.

Salem State locked up the second seed in the MASCAC Tournament and will play the winner of the third-seed and sixth-seeded matchup at home next Tuesday, with a bye into the semifinals.

The Lancers fight to stay alive at the chance for a berth into the conference playoffs when they entertain Framingham State this Thursday at the Hart Recreation Center in an 8 PM face-off on "Senior Night."

A brief pre-game ceremony was held for “Pink The Rink” Night as Fallica’s mother, a breast cancer survivor, dropped the first puck of the evening for senior Nathan Stanley (Meridian, ID/Idaho Jr. Steelheads) and Canty.

Pink bracelets will remain on sale for $3 through Thursday’s matchup against the Rams.