NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Behind a 35-save shutout from
Graham Burke and a solid offensive effort, the UMass Dartmouth men's hockey team defeated Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 4-0 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Tuesday. The Corsairs move to 10-12-1 overall and 7-8-1 in conference play, while the Trailblazers are now 4-17-2 and 4-10-2 in the MASCAC.
The Corsairs got things going at 6:48 of the first as sophomore center
Connor Little won the faceoff draw, dropping the puck back to rookie defender
Hunter Scanlon. Navigating toward the mid-slot, Scanlon fired a shot that slipped past MCLA goalie Mathew Gover on the right side.
Rookie left winger
Blake Kashark made it a 2-0 advantage for the Corsairs at 12:31 of the first. A pass from the right circle by fifth year center and assistant captain
Michael Mania found UMD captain and defender
Cade Hanley at the right point. Firing a shot through traffic, Kashark was there to redirect the puck in.
It was Kashark again in the second period, scoring shorthanded as the puck careened off a linesman and dribbled out to sophomore center
Doug Doren. Picking up the loose puck, Doren navigated into the zone and found Kashark on the far side as he fired it home for the 3-0 advantage.
UMass Dartmouth notched its fourth goal of the game at the 16:59 mark as with the puck deep in the Trailblazers zone, Mania got the touch and tipped it out to junior left wing
Tyler Stewart. Getting a touch of his own, Stewart sent the puck out to the high slot as junior defender and assistant captain
Lane Ruffner barreled in and sent a shot scorching past Gover.
Neither team lit the lamp in the third period despite and solid effort from the Corsairs who peppered Gover with 14 shots in the final stanza.
Burke earned the victory for UMD, recording 11 shots in the first, 15 in the second period and nine in the third. Gover shouldered the loss, stopping eight shots in the opening frame, 10 in the second and 14 in the third.
The Corsairs also honored Mania and Hanley in a pre-game ceremony as UMD celebrated Senior Night.
UMass Dartmouth returns to the ice on Thursday, traveling to Rivier University for a 7:35pm MASCAC puck-drop against the Raiders.
