Auburn, MA --- Senior Chris Wallin (Avon, CT) recorded five points with one goal and four assists while freshman Mark Owen (Denver, CO) tallied the game-clinching marker early in the third period as they both helped lead Worcester State to a key 6-3 victory over Westfield State in MASCAC men's ice hockey this evening at Horgan Rink.
With the win the Lancers (10-11-3) clinch the fifth seed in next week's MASCAC Tournament with a 6-10-1 record in conference play while the Owls slip to 5-17-2 and 4-12-1 in league action.
The game was scoreless until the visitors lit up the siren 12:36 into the first on a power-play goal by freshman Vince Perrault (Braeside, Ontario).
Worcester State responded promptly as they knotted the score 14 seconds later on a marker by junior Nick Asterito (Philadelphia, PA).
The Lancers would end the frame with the 2-1 edge as sophomore Tim D'Orazio (Jamieson, PA) notched his sixth goal of the year at 17:07.
Westfield State answered by knotting the score with 4:14 on the clock in the second period off the end of the stick of senior Dennis Zak (Dover, NJ) who sent in his MASCAC-leading 17th tally of the season.
But the Blue and Gold would end the middle stanza with the 3-2 edge as freshman Derek Serbon (Crown Point, IN) helped Worcester State take advantage of one of four power-plays at the 15:34 mark.
With momentum on their side, the Lancers doubled up the visitors, 4-2, just 92 seconds into the period on the eventual game-winning goal by Owen as he received some help from Asterito and Wallin with the extra-man advantage.
The Owls though wouldn't go away that easy as they scored on an AJ Shiverdecker (Ketering, OH) goal at 6:11.
In the last two minutes of the contest, Westfield State had several chances to tie the score with 56 seconds with an extra-man on the ice, but junior keeper Bryan Kalczynski (Tonawanda, NY) made some clutch saves to keep the visitors off the board.
Wallin and junior John Cahalane (Tewksbury, MA) both gave Worcester State some insurance as they took advantage with empty net goals in the waning seconds of the contest.
Despite losing the contest, Westfield State would out-shoot the visitors 45-35 while both squads both had two power-play goals apiece off of 12 combined penalties.
Asterito would end the contest with one goal and two assists for three points as he continues to lead the Lancers with 28 points. Shiverdecker, Perrault and Zak each contributed a marker and a dish for the Owls.
Kalczynski ended the contest with 42 saves as junior Ian Wilson (Tulsa, OK) turned aside 29 shots in the setback.
Worcester State will close out the regular season on "Senior Night" on Saturday with a 4:30 PM game at home against Salem State.