NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Powered by a three-goal effort in the third period, Framingham State posted a 4-2 win over UMass Dartmouth in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener for both teams. The Rams move to 1-1 on the season, while the Corsairs are also now 1-1.
With the score tied 1-1 heading into the final period of play, the Corsairs made it a 2-1 game at 5:43 as a shot from sophomore left winger
Vincent Nicosia was stopped by the Rams goalie at close range. The puck rebounded out front and sophomore defender
Hank McDonough was there to bury the first collegiate goal of his career through the scrum in front.
The Rams answered just over two minutes later as rookie defender Jeremy McDonald collected the puck from classmate and left winger Matthew Nuzzolilo past Corsairs netminder
Daniel Davidson. Senior winger Cam Lindsey earned the secondary assist on the game-tying tally at 7:45.
Framingham State grabbed the 3-2 lead at the 11:46 mark of the third as rookie right wing Brady Rossbach got one past Davidson, unassisted.
The Corsairs fought to get it out of their zone and into the Rams end. Despite gaining a faceoff to the left of Rams goalie Liam Kilgallen, UMass Dartmouth could not get one through. They had several chances, including back-to-back shots from sophomore defender
Lane Ruffner and winger
Tyler Stewart in the final minute of play – both blocked by goalie Liam Kilgallen.
Pulling Davidson in favor of the extra attacker with 29 seconds to play, Rams junior Ashton Collazo sent a long shot from the neutral zone into the empty net for the final tally.
The Rams opened the game's scoring at 16:41 of the opening period, but the Corsairs tied it at 1-all at 3:26 of the second as rookie center
Collin Patterson tallied the first collegiate goal of his career.
Four different players recorded goals for the Rams, led by a goal and an assist each from Rossbach and Collazo – who was also 13-of-24 on the faceoff. Junior center Caleb Dusek posted a 10-of-18 mark from the circle, while also notching three blocked shots. In goal, Kilgallen had 21 saves, including 10 in the final period of play.
For the Corsairs, Davidson notched a season-high 39 saves, including 14 in the first period, 16 in the second and nine in the third period. McDonough and Patterson tallied, while Nicosia, winger
Kevin Johnston and linemate
Michael Perrone had assists. Senior center
Michael Mania was 11-of-23 on the faceoff, while Ruffner posted a game-high four blocked shots.
The Corsairs return to action on Sunday, traveling to Nashua, N.H., for a 2:50pm match at Rivier University.
