Greyhounds score twice in third period and rally to 3-2 victory over Western New England University.
Worcester, Mass. (January 14) -- The Assumption College ice hockey team rallied to a 3-2 victory over Western New England University as senior Nick Mattiello (Johnston, R.I. / Bishop Hendricken) recorded his 50th career point on Tuesday evening.
Needing just one point, Mattiello got to 50 career points early in the contest, assisting the first goal of the game just 15 seconds into the contest as Brandon Bete (Greenfield, Mass. / Northfield Mount Hermon) put the Greyhounds on the board. The senior has 50 points on 27 goals and 23 assists.
Assumption had a chance to extend the lead asthey took the first power play of the game after Will Preston got called for boarding at 11:04 in the first period, but the Golden Bears were able to kill off the penalty and keep the deficit at one.
Western New England capitalized on that penalty kill and evened the score at one as John Kelly recorded his first goal of the season for the Golden Bears. Line mates David Tavella and Brian Prost assisted on the goal at 17:38 in the period.
The Golden Bears got their first power play chance just 31 seconds into the second period as junior Joe Arcieri (Newmarket, N.H. / Saint Thomas Aquinas) picked up a boarding call, but the Greyhounds were able to kill off the power play to keep the score tied at one.
WNEU broke the tie at 3:11 in the second period as Andrew Cramer recorded his first goal of the season off an assist by Dane Genord. The Golden Bears maintained that lead for the remainder of the period and held a 2-1 advantage heading into the final period.
The Greyhounds rallied back with two goals in the third period, starting when freshman Paul Amarone (Hamden, Conn. / Trinity Pauling) evened the score with an even strength goal at 9:25 in the final period. Junior Brennen Shaw (Presque Isle, Maine / Brewster Academy) line mate Trevor Plante (Blackstone, Mass. / Mount Saint Charles) each recorded helpers on the freshman's second goal of the season.
Assumption capitalized on a Golden Bear penalty to take the lead, converting in the final 30 seconds of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Rance Vukovic. Senior Kyle Zobler (Millbury, Mass. / New Hampton) scored the game-winning goal at 11:02 in the final period. Sophomore Alex Erban (Attleboro, Mass. / Mount Saint Charles) and senior Ross White (Uxbridge, Mass. / Uxbridge) had helpers on the decisive goal.
The Golden Bears had a chance less than a minute later as Amarone picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, putting WNEU on the power play. The Greyhounds were able to kill off the second power play chance of the night and WNEU would finish the night 0-for-2 with the man advantage. Assumption was 1-for-3 on the power play in the contest.
Assumption was out shot by a slim 28-28 margin in the contest as freshman Nick Commesso (Marshfield, Mass. / Governors Academy) earned his first win of the season, turning away 26 shots in the game. The freshman made 12 saves in the first period before settling in to turn away seven shots in each of the final two periods on the way to the win. Tim Carr made 23 saves in the loss for WNEU, including just five of seven shots in the final frame as the Greyhounds rallied for the win.
The Greyhounds are back in action on Jan. 18th at Wentworth. The game will be played at Walter Brown Arena in Boston, Mass. and the puck will drop at 6 p.m.
For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240.
