Men's Ice Hockey Skates to 4-4 Stalemate with Salem State

WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester State University men's ice hockey team skated to a 4-4 tie on Thursday evening in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center.

With the draw, Worcester State moves to 5-11-2 overall on the season and 3-7-1 in the MASCAC. Salem State moves to 3-11-4 and 3-6-2 in the MASCAC.

Worcester State hosted Sexual Assault Violence and Prevention Night at the game. Donations were collected for New Hope, Inc., a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization which aims to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. Players on both teams wore special purple and teal ribbon decals on their helmets in honor of the victims of sexual assault and dating violence.

Salem State drew first blood in the contest, when freshman Connor Woolley buried a rebound on the power play for his third goal of the season at the 2:59 mark of the first. Spencer DeRidder and Trevor Mallett were credited with assists, and the score remained 1-0 through the remainder of the period.

Worcester State evened the score at 1-1 just 37 seconds into the second period. Salem State's goaltender misplayed a puck behind the net, and Worcester State's Ryan James (Katy, Texas.) scooped up the miscue. The junior shoveled a pass in front to Kyle Hayter (Helena, Mont.), who buried his first goal of the season to tie the game.

It took the Lancers just 13 seconds to take the lead after tying the score, as a Henry Bruckner (Franklin, Mass.) point shot had eyes and found the back of the net for an unassisted goal just 50 seconds into the second.

Landon Hasenfuss tied the score for Salem State at the 7:20 mark of the second on a spinning shot from the high slot. After a Callum Hofford point shot was blocked down by a Lancer defender, Hasenfuss scooped up the rebound and fired it past Worcester State's Nevin Tardif (Dunstable, Mass.) to level the contest.

Kevin Drevitch (Oxford, N.J.) and Nick Pennucci (Worcester, Mass.) found the back of the net just 1:45 apart shortly after Hasenfuss' tying goal, putting Worcester State ahead by a pair for the first time, but the second Woolley goal of the evening cut the lead to 4-3 in the closing minutes of the second. 

Worcester State came just 8.3 seconds away from sealing the victory in the third period, but with the goalie pulled, a wrist shot from the point off the stick of Matt Yianacopolus deflected off a Lancer and into the net to tie the game at four and force overtime.

James had the best chance of the extra session with a final minute breakaway, but was stoned by Sean Cleary just 32 seconds before the final horn.

Woolley was named the game's number one star after the game with a pair of goals and a +2 rating. Worcester State's Deiter Stange (Niles, Ill.) recorded a pair of assists to earn second star honors, while James garnered third star honors.

Tardif made 27 saves in the tie, while Cleary finished with 21 stops. The Vikings outshot the Lancers 31-25 in the contest, and held the hosts to just three shots in the third period.

Next up for Worcester State, they will take on Fitchburg State on the road on Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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