NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Sophomore forward
Tyler Stewart broke a 4-4 tie at 12:47 of the third, lifting the UMass Dartmouth men's hockey team to a 5-4 victory over UMass Boston in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Hetland Arena.
Carrying a 3-2 lead into the third period of action, the Corsairs pushed it to a 4-2 advantage at 8:24 after sophomore defender
Lane Ruffner banked in a pass from rookie forward
Connor Little in front. Sophomore forward
Vincent Nicosia earned the second assist on the tally.
Despite the momentum, the Beacons answered just over a minute later as senior forward Gino Carabelli raced in from the neutral zone, shifting the puck across the goal mouth to junior forward Kolye Bankauskas. The center's shot careened in past UMass Dartmouth keeper
Daniel Davidson.
UMass Boston made it a tie game seconds later as rookie winger Chris Repman buried a feed from linemate Jude Kurtas. Defenseman Blake Colman picked up the secondary assist after firing it in from the point.
The Corsairs pulled out the victory off Stewart's goal and outstanding defense down the stretch as the Beacons pulled grad student goaltender Sam Best with just over two minutes remaining in the final stanza.
Following the faceoff, the Beacons went after the net with the extra attacker, but UMassD's defense held strong with a save from Davidson and a blocked shot by rookie
Collin Patterson to hold off the visitors for the win.
UMass Dartmouth opened the scoring in the contest as sophomore forward
Kevin Johnston fired in a shot at 19:15 – recording the shorthanded tally as the Corsairs found themselves with a five-minute major.
The Corsairs made it a 2-0 lead into the second period behind a score from grad student
Michael Perrone as he drove home a pass from Johnston with Patterson picking up the second assist.
Five different players scored for the Corsairs, while Johnston and Nicosia each posted a goal and an assist on the evening. Senior center
Michael Mania went 11-of-28 on the faceoff, while classmate and defender
Cade Hanley blocked four shots in the contest, including a pair of critical ones in the third period. In goal, Davidson earned the victory, recording 20 saves.
UMass Boston saw four different goal scorers, while Bankauskas had a goal and an assist, going 20-27 in faceoff attempts. Rookie Jack Mortson went 7-9 in the faceoff circle as Best recorded 12 saves in the loss.
The Corsairs return to the ice at Hetland Arena on Thursday, November 2, opening MASCAC play against Framingham State. Puck drop is at 7:30pm.
