NASHUA, N.H. – Powered by a two-goal third period, Rivier University notched a 4-1 victory over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders move to 1-2-1 overall, while the Corsairs slip to 1-2-0 on the young season.
The Raiders opened the game's scoring at 2:41 of the first period after a nice feed low in the slot by sophomore right winger Alfred Rotiroti, found the stick of junior left winger Ryan Nolte on the right side past sophomore goalie
Marshall McKallip. Rookie center Jake Laville earned the secondary assist on the score.
In the second period, the Corsairs evened the game at 1-all, after rookie center
Collin Patterson drove deep down the right slot, firing a pass across the goal mouth that grad student and left winger
Michael Perrone banked in for the equalizer at 14:59.
The momentum for the Corsairs was short lived as Rivier junior center Nicolas Paolucci drove home a wrist shot glove side of McKallip at the 16:59 mark. Senior left wing Cormac Hayes earned the lone assist on the play.
In the third period of action, the Raiders made it a two-goal advantage at the 5:42 mark. Streaking down the middle, Rotiroti fed the puck to the right as Laville buried it five-hole for the 3-1 advantage.
The Corsairs nearly countered seconds later as a shot by Perrone was saved point-blank by Raiders goalie Will Augustine, while rookie defender
Nolan Wutzke saw his shot bank off the pipe seconds later.
UMass Dartmouth kept up the attack, nearly capitalizing at 8:46 after a feed from senior center
Michael Mania to rookie right wing
Jackson Tillinghast was one-timed right in front, but saved once again into the chest of Augustine.
The Corsairs continued to have chanced down the stretch, including back-to-back saved shots from grad student defender
Stephon Perreault with just over six minutes remaining and a point-blank shot at the left post from sophomore wing
Tyler Stewart.
Rivier, which earned an empty net goal from Hayes with 1:34 remaining, played solid defense over the final stretch, backed by a 30-save performance from Augustine. For the Corsairs, McKallip posted 19 saves.
UMass Dartmouth returns to the ice on Thursday at home, hosting MASCAC-rival, MCLA for a 7:30pm tilt at Hetland Arena.
