Juniors in Force as Four Unanswered Goals Grab Lancers the Win

Worcester, MA- After over a week off since last hitting the ice, the Worcester State Lancers (1-5-0, 1-4-0) journey to Salem, MA (3-4-0, 3-2-0) to take on conference foe Salem State as they look to grab their second win of the season.

Final
Worcester: 5

Salem: 2

Recap:

The Lancers and Vikings were steady off the opening face off battling for possession around the ice before Salem was able to open the shooting early three minutes into the action. The physical action was noticeable from the start as each team battled for control. A penalty nearly five minutes into the game against Worcester would put them on the early defensive. The Lancers kept play in control for nearly a minute before Salem's Keagan O'Donoghue was able to sneak the puck past junior Jakub Kubik (Uherske Hradiste, Czech Republic) to grab an early 1-0 lead. Worcester State would spend the rest of the period battling to tie the game, holding off an additional Salem Power play halfway through the period. Worcester State would get their own power play opportunity with about four minutes to go but were unable to find the equalizer in the period. 

The second period would find the Lancers cracking the Vikings code just 40 seconds into the fresh period off a junior Christian Phinney (Draper, UT) goal with some teamwork assists from juniors Ben Brockway (Phoenix, AZ) and Martin Dlugolinsky (Stara Lubovna, Slovakia). The momentum appeared to be going in Worcester's favor until a short-handed goal by Salem State's Luke Day saw the Vikings back up by one six minutes into the period. Worcester would again spend the period working to snag another goal. This was quickly accomplished when senior Brian Clougherty (Lynn, MA) tapped in the puck from juniors Matthew Kowal (Munson, MA) and Brigham Neuhold (Edmond, OK) to bring the score to 2-2 in the 15' minute of second period action. Just about two and half minutes later the Lancers would grab their first lead of the game when Dlugolinsky would send the passes of Maxwell Tucker (Kalamazoo, MI) and graduate student Brendan Ronan (Saugus, MA) to put the Lancers up 3-2. The Lancers would carry the goal lead into the third period of action.

Worcester State would carry the one goal lead into the third period as they worked to hold off the offensive attempts by the Vikings to reclaim the lead in the game. The Vikings would work to put the puck across the crease numerous times in the period but Kubik and the defense of each of Worcester States lines would stifle the Vikings progress. Their defense success would translate to offensive success with just under five minutes to go in the fourth when Tucker joined the scoring action off additional assists from Anders Grongstad (Royal Oak, MI) and Dlugolinsky to score their third straight goal of the matchup. Just over a minute later the Lancers would extend their lead to three off a goal by Ronan, to add to his own assist on the night, off a slick pass from sophomore Shane Prifrel (Inver Grove Heights, MI) and Neuhold to help put the game out of reach for the Vikings. The Vikings hit the ice hard in an attempt to mount a late comeback grabbing a late elbowing penalty to in their attempt to leave Worcester State a man up, but just 30 seconds later it would be 4v4 off a late Lancer cross checking penalty. Salem was not ready to concede though, costing another skater on the ice with just a minute to go to see the game end 4v3 on the ice for Worcester's second win of the season grabbing the 5-2 win.

Kubik would end the night with 43 saves in a full game of action.

Worcester State now sits at (2-5-0, 2-4-0) while Salem State stands at (3-5-0, 3-3-0). Worcester State returns to action on Saturday December 2 when they host MCLA at the DCU Center for "Grow the Game Night" with the Worcester Railers. The Lancers are set to take the ice at 3:15pm followed by the Railers hosting the Norfolk Admirals at 7:05pm.  Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.