Overtime Goal Lifts Falcons Over UMass Dartmouth

FITCHBURG, Mass. - Fitchburg State netted the game winning goal with 30 seconds remaining in overtime to hand the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth a 4-3 setback Thursday night at the Wallace Civic Center. 

The Corsairs (8-11-1, 5-8-1 MASCAC) drop their fifth straight game. Scoring for UMassD were sophomore Michael Mania, graduate student Melker Kroon and senior Derek Britner. 

Picking up goals for the Falcons (15-5-0, 13-3-0 MASCAC) were senior Adam Kusior, freshman Zackery Diamont, freshman Oliver Cookson, and the game winner was scored by junior Anthony Ceolin. 

UMass Dartmouth grabbed a 1-0 edge 14:07 into the opening period when sophomore Mania collected a feed from junior Kai Kapossy and graduate student Dillon Radin and tucked a shot inside the near post for his eighth tally on the season.

In the middle stanza, Fitchburg State knotted the score at one just 1:45 into the frame as senior Kusior found the back of the net for his first marker of the year with assists from juniors Anthony Ceolin and Hunter Fortin.

The Corsairs regained the lead at the 5:42 mark when Kroon deposited a shot into the left side of the net for his sixth goal of the 2021-22 campaign off an assist from Radin.

The Falcons retied the contest at two when freshman Diamont skated in all alone and proceeded to convert the breakaway attempt for his tenth marker of the season to make the score 3-2.

In the final period, Fitchburg State broke the 2-2 stalemate 7:30 into the period when freshman Cookson redirected a shot off the stick of senior Jordin Holmes into the back of the net for his third score on the season.

UMass Dartmouth knotted the score again (3-3) four minutes later as senior Britner received a pass from Radin and wristed a shot into the right side of the net for his third goal of the year.

In the overtime period, the Falcons secured the victory when Fortin blasted a shot from the top of the key that hopped over graduate student Parker Butler's right shoulder and into the back of the net for his 13th marker on the year off assists from Ceolin and junior Joshua Miller for the game winner, resulting in the 4-3 final.

The Corsairs are back on the ice at Salem State at 4 p.m. on Saturday.