Worcester, Mass. (January 19) -- The Assumption College ice hockey team dropped a 4-3 overtime final to Nichols College at the Charles J. Buffone Arena on Saturday evening. The Greyhounds evened the score with 31 seconds to play in regulation to force overtime.

The Bison got on the board first as Mike Weaver scored seconds after an Assumption penalty expired at 15:17 in the first period, giving Nichols a 1-0 lead after one period. Senior Nick Mattiello (Johnston, R.I. / Bishop Hendricken) took a hooking penalty at 13:13 and the Greyhounds successfully killed the penalty, but Nichols struck moments after the forward left the box.

Assumption answered back, evening the score at one as freshman Paul Amarone (Hamden, Conn. / Trinity Pauling) recorded the Greyhounds first score assisted by senior Matt Calos (North Reading, Mass. / North Reading). The goal came at 8:31 in the second period.

Junior Mike Schwartz put the Bison back ahead with a power play goal at 18:36 in the second period. Schwartz was able to capitalize on the second of back-to-back penalties by Assumption. The Greyhounds killed off a second Mattiello penalty, but after playing a man down for more than three minutes, the Bison capitalized with the go-ahead marker.

The Greyhounds responded again, scoring as time expired in the second period as Ryan Gomez (Wayne, N.J. / Wayne Valley) netted his fourth goal of the season. Calos and Mattiello assisted on the game-tying goal.

The two teams combined for 16 minutes of penalties in the final period but neither team was able to capitalize on power play chances through the first 14 minutes as the action got chippy. Daniel Bufis finally broke through for the Bison at 14:04 to give Nichols a 3-2 advantage in the final frame.

Assumption got a chance to equalize at Nichols took a too many men on the ice penalty with 42 seconds to play and the Greyhounds put away a goal 11 seconds later as sophomore Brandon Bete (Greenfield, Mass. / Northfield Mount Hermon) scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season off an assist by senior Kyle Zobler (Millbury, Mass. / New Hampton).

After the Greyhounds forced overtime, Sean Fleming put away the game-winning goal with 57 seconds to play.

Senior Bobby Bowden (Springfield, Mass. / Williston Northampton) made 34 saves in the loss for the Greyhounds while Patrick Salkind made 36 saves to earn the win for Nichols.

The Greyhounds are back in action on January 22nd against Stonehill College. The puck will drop at 6:35 p.m. at the Buffone Arena.

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