NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – A three-goal second period and a 28-save performance from senior goalie
Marshall McKallip lifted UMass Dartmouth to a 3-2 victory over Westfield State in non-conference action on Saturday. The victory marks the first of the season for the Corsairs who are now 1-1, while the Owls move to 1-1 on the season as well.
After a scoreless opening period of play, UMass Dartmouth got on the board at 1:06 of the period on the first of the season by junior right winger
Alex Walker. Sophomore defender Brennan Pecararo got the play going, firing a shot from the right point that was tipped in by Walker in the right circle. Rookie center
Kailin Chen earned the secondary assist with a pass from behind the net to Pecararo at the point.
Chen made it a 2-0 game at 8:17, notching his team-leading second of the season. Sophomore defender
Hunter Scanlon started the play, firing in a shot from the top of the right point that ricocheted in front off the stick of senior left winger
Tyler Stewart. The puck came loose to Chen on the right doorstep for the goal.
After a chaotic mele of penalties midway through the frame, the Corsairs capitalized as Pecararo stole the puck and buried it for the unassisted and eventual game-winning tally at 11:16.
The Owls answered in the third period, beginning at 1:08 of the frame when Tomas Muller fired a shot in from the point that deflected off a Corsair defender and into the corner of the net past the reach of McKallip. The Owls added another score – this time on the power play – at 13:33 as Cannon Bonifay passed the puck from behind the net to teammate Jesper Seeberg. Coming around the net, Seeberg passed it back to Bonifay, who fired it in to cut the margin.
Westfield State worked to net the equalizer, firing eight straight shots in over a one minute span – with four saves by McKallip. The visitors pulled goalie Aiden Winslow with just over a minute to play, but the Corsairs and McKallip held strong to secure the win.
The Corsairs saw Marshall earn the victory with 28 saves, including 14 saves coming in the third period alone. Winslow shouldered the loss with 28 saves as well. Junior center
Doug Doren led the squad in faceoffs with a 9-5 margin, while Chen went 8-6 overall in the circle.
UMass Dartmouth is back on the ice on Thursday, traveling to Framingham State for a 7:40pm game against the Rams. The Corsairs then return home on Friday, welcoming the Rams at 5:30pm at Hetland Arena.
