Stange’s Hat Trick Leads Lancers in Comeback Win

WORCESTER, Mass. – Worcester State junior Deiter Stange (Niles, Ill.) scored his first career hat trick and the Lancers scored four times in the second period to come from two goals down and beat UMass Dartmouth 6-3 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's ice hockey action on Monday afternoon at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center.

The Lancers improve to 7-7-1 in he MASCAC (10-11-1 overall) and leap-frog the Corsairs (8-13-1, 5-10-1 MASCAC) in the conference standings.

Stange gave the Lancers the lead with five minutes to go in the second period. The home team had fallen behind 2-0 after one period, but outscored UMass Dartmouth 4-0 in the middle 20 minutes.

Senior Max Roth (Chicago, Ill.) was a big part of that comeback effort. He set up Nick Pennuci (Worcester, Mass.) for the Lancers' opening goal at 2:05 of the second, and then scored himself two and a half minutes later, tying the game at two with his sixth goal of the season.

Roth would go on to add an assist on an empty netter by Stange, who completed his hat trick with a pair of insurance goals in the final five minutes of regulation.

UMass Dartmouth took just thirty-two seconds to get on the scoreboard when Michael Perrone (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) slipped a goal past reigning MASCAC Goalie and Rookie of the Week Wyatt Friedlander (Lake Placid, N.Y.), who made 37 saves in the win.

Twelve minutes into the first, Clay Ellerbrock (Tega Cay, S.C.) doubled the visitors lead when he finished off a nice feed from Kai Kapossy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).

The Lancers started the second period on a 5:00 major powerplay, and took advantage with Pennucci and Roth both scoring on the power play.

After Stange opened his account, Henry Bruckner (Franlin, Mass.) put the Lancers ahead 4-2 heading to the third with his third goal of the year.

The teams played a scoreless first half of the third period, but Ryan Mascali (Franklin, Tenn.) pulled the Corsairs back to within a goal when his wrist shot found the back of the net with nine minutes to play.

Stange, however, made sure that the Lancers emerged with the win, as he gave both Brendan Ronan (Saugus, Mass.) and Roth their second assists of the day with his final two goals.

The Lancers were outshot by UMass Dartmouth 40-30, but killed off all three Corsair power play opportunities.

Parker Butler (Summit, N.J.) made 24 saves in the UMass Dartmouth net.

Worcester State returns to their home ice on Thursday, February 17^th when they host Salem State at 6:40 PM.

The Corsairs are at Framingham State tomorrow at 8:20 PM.