Kroon Scores Twice as Corsairs Defeat Westfield State, 4-1

WESTFIELD, Mass. - Graduate student Melker Kroon netted two goals and junior goalkeeper Daniel Davidson stopped 34 shots as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth hockey picked up a much-needed conference win at Westfield State Thursday night.

Also scoring for the Corsairs (8-6-1, 5-3-1 MASCAC) were senior Derek Britner and sophomore MIchael Mania. UMass Dartmouth outshot Westfield 50-35 with 46 of those shots on goal. There was a total of 15:13 power play minutes between both teams as well.

The lone goal for the Owls (7-7-2, 2-5-2 MASCAC) came with just over a minute remaining in regulation by sophomore Tom Skold.

Mania took advantage of a power play opportunity at the 15:15 mark of the first when he sent home his seventh goal of the season off assists from junior Jake Maynard and graduate student Dillon Radin. Davidson kept the Corsairs on top with 12 saves in the period.

It took until late in the second for UMass Dartmouth to extend its lead. Kroon pocketed a backhand goal from junior Stephon Perrault and sophomore Dominic Dumas with 2:08 remaining in the period to make it a 2-0 advantage. Shortly after with 44 seconds on the clock in the second, junior Austin Miller and sophomore Zach Tarantino worked a centering pass to Britner, who made it a 3-0 game.

Kroon capitalized on the Corsairs' second power-play goal of the night in the third. 5th-year senior Kai Kapossy and Dillon Radin set up Kroon for a one-timer to extend the lead to 4-0 with 11:06 to go. Skold then put Westfield on the board from senior Wyatt Lawrence late, but UMass Dartmouth had the win in hand.

The Corsairs begin a four-game home stand beginning on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. against Salem State.