Lancers Make Quick Work for OT Victory over Monarchs

Worcester, MA- Coming off a big conference win on Thursday night the Worcester State Men's Ice Hockey team (3-3-3, 1-2-2) closed out their 2025 portion of the schedule with a meeting with the King's College Monarchs.

Final- OT

Worcester State: 5

Kings: 4

How it Happened:

The first period would be an even battle between the two programs. Kings College would get a power-play nine minutes into the period but Worcester would be ready for the challenge as they would kill the penalty. The Blue and Gold would get a power-play of their own but again, the Monarchs would pull out a reverse card and kill the power-play momentum. The Monarchs would snag a breakaway goal at 7:23 of the first period but the Lancers would answer 28 seconds later as off the face-off, junior Brady Carpenter (Peabody,MA) would get set-up off the faceoff by junior Matt Lombardi (Hudson,MA) to even the score 1-1. The game would remain 1-1 through the first 20 minutes as junior Salvatore Carabelli (Shelby Township,MI) would end the period with 7 saves.

The second period saw the Lancers dominate the offensive attack early in the period but could not find any offensive momentum on the scoreboard. But that would change at 13:01 of the second period as sophomore Bryce Grandbois (Windsor, ON) would give the Blue and Gold its first lead of the game 2-1. Worcester would be able to snag two power-plays during the period but both would be killed and the second one would find the Monarchs getting one past Carabelli's net to even the score 2-2. Both teams would be quiet offensively for the remainder of the period as Carabelli would snag 9 saves in the period putting his total to 16 through 40 minutes of action.

 The third would start quickly with the Monarchs jumping out the lead off a snagged rebound shot that would put them up 3-2. Nearly halfway through, the Monarch would claim another power play opportunity and this time they would find success, extending their lead to 4-2. Worcester would not stay quiet for long though, answering back with two goals of their own. The first coming from first year Sean Tyrie (East Quogue, NY) from fellow first year Nathan McDougall (Gatineau) while the second was right on its heals and seconds into their power play when senior Shane Prifrel (Inver Grove Heights, MN) would knock in a loose puck off the action of Tyrie and junior Matthew Nuzzolilo (Worcester, MA) to tie te game up. Trying to fend off what has become the norm this season, the Lancers looked for the winning goal before overtime. Alas, their shots were unable to connect and the Lancers moved into the extra period of time aiming to close the game out with a win.

It would take just seconds into overtime for the game to be decided as Carpenter would take the slip pass across the crease from Lombardi and send the puck over the shoulder of the King's keeper for the 5-4 victory.

Carabelli would make 31 saves in the outing for his second career win.

What's Next:

The Lancers (4-3-3, 1-2-2) are back in action on Tuesday in their final game of 2025 when they take on UMass-Dartmouth at 7:30pm.