WORCESTER, Mass. – Despite a career-high 45 saves from junior goalie
Marshall McKallip, the UMass Dartmouth hockey team was unable to hold off Division II Assumption University, falling 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday at the Worcester Ice Center. The Greyhounds improve to 7-3-0 on the season, while the Corsairs are now 4-2-0 overall.
It was the Corsairs who got things going in the opening period of play as sophomore center
Collin Patterson registered his 10th goal of the season and the seventh on the power play at 6:59. Corralling the puck off the faceoff win, Patterson sent a pass to the near boards to junior left winger
Tyler Stewart, who found junior defenseman
Lane Ruffner at the top of the slot. A quick pass to the right saw Patterson skate into the circle, blasting a shot past senior goalie Michael Hauswith for the 1-0 lead.
Assumption battled back at 13:27 of the frame as junior forward Jake Lavoie sent a pass through traffic in front of the UMass Dartmouth goal. Senior forward and captain Ronny Paragallo battled his way past a Corsairs defender, turned and sent a backhanded shot on goal and past the reach of junior netminder
Marshall McKallip for the equalizer.
The Corsairs had a number of chances late in the stanza as a shot from junior right winger
Brandon Clark was saved by Hauswirth, while a Ruffner shot was blocked in front by Lavoie, preserving the tie headed into the second period.
In the second period, the Corsairs found themselves facing a challenge early as the Greyhouds went on a power play opportunity in the opening minute. The Corsairs responded as a loose puck came deep into the Assumption zone. Sophomore center
Doug Doren dug it out, sending a pass to the mid-slot where Clark wristed it in past Hauswith for the 2-1 lead at 2:15.
McKallip continued his outstanding play in the Corsairs net, facing a penalty shot situation after making a brilliant save. Lavoie stepped up for the Greyhounds, skating through the left circle as he fired a shot in on McKallip who made the pad save to preserve the lead.
The Corsairs nearly skated out of the middle stanza with the advantage, but a backhanded pass from the right circle by rookie defender Shane McElhaney found sophomore forward Leo Piandes in front as he shot it past McKallip at 18:47 for the equalizer and a 2-2 score. Paragallo was credited with the secondary assist on the play.
Assumption had two quick chances to open the third period as a breakaway opportunity by junior forward Ryan Decker was turned aside by McKallip at 2:47. The junior netminder stood tall once again seconds later as Paragallo got in on a breakaway that McKallip covered for his 33rd save of the night.
Both teams had their chances in the third to nab the go-ahead as shots from rookie center
Spencer Sykes and Clark were both turned aside by Hauswirth, while McKallip thwarted one final shot by sophomore forward Jonathan Surrette with five seconds left in regulation to send it into the 3-on-3 overtime.
In the extra session, Stewart nearly nabbed the game-winner as his initial shot was blocked, but he found the loose puck and put it on goal to force Hauswirth to make the save. In the end, the Greyhounds carried the puck into the Corsairs zone as McKallip made another outstanding save. The puck came loose as Paragallo passed it up to McElhaney who roofed the shot into the upper left corner for the game-winner.
Hauswirth recorded 24 saves for the Greyhounds victory, while McKallip finished with 45 stops - including 19 in the second period and 17 in the third period.
UMass Dartmouth is now idle for the Thanksgiving holiday, but return to action on Thursday, December 5 when they face MASCAC-rival Plymouth State at 6:15pm. The game will be held at the Falmouth Ice Arena.
