Auburn, MA --- Senior Nick Asterito (Philadelphia, PA) recorded the game-winning goal with 15:28 in the third period to help lift Worcester State to a 3-2 season-ending triumph over Salem State this evening in MASCAC men's ice hockey action at Horgan Rink.
With the win the Lancers cap off their 2010-11 regular season with an even 11-11-3 record (7-10-1 MASCAC) while the Vikings finish out at 17-6-2 and 11-5-2 in league play.
The #5 Lancers will play fourth-seeded Fitchburg State at 7:30 on the road on Tuesday in the opening round of the conference tournament.
Salem State opened the games scoring midway though the opening frame as junior Justin Roy (North Bay, Ontario) notched his third goal of the year at 9:25 with assists from sophomore Chris Costigan (Salem, NH) and junior Matthew Genovese (Hingham, MA).
The Blue and Gold responded at 17:33 as sophomore Pat Styckiewicz (Chicopee, MA) sent in his third marker of the season with the power play as he received some help from first-year Brendan Galley (Colorado Springs, CO) and junior John Cahalane (Tewksbury, MA).
The Vikings though would take advantage with a man off the ice as junior Jeff Borges (Westport, MA) put SSU on top 2-1 after the end of the opening period with just two seconds remaining in the stanza.
Play would continue back and fourth in the middle frame before WSU freshman Ryan Quirk (Brockton, MA) knotted the score with 7:49 on the clock on assists by Cahalane and Cox.
Outstanding goaltending by first-year Taylor Fant (Denver, CO) and great defense in the third would help set the stage for the Lancers to take advantage of one of four Viking power plays in the period on Asterito's marker as he received a dish from sophomore Eric Rutz (Mechanicsburg, PA).
In the final minute of the contest, the Vikings did everything they could as they pulled their goalie with a man off the ice, but it was to no avail as the Blue and Gold ended the season by beating Salem State twice in one season for the first time in team history.
Fant would end the game by stopping 38 of the 40 shots he saw on net. Senior James LaCour (Silver Spring, MD) collected 24 saves in the losing effort for the Salem State.
The Vikings outshot the hosts 36-16 in the first two periods alone and then the Lancers buckled down on defense and finished the third with an 11-4 edge in shots on goal.
The contest proved to be a physical one as the two squads combined for 12 penalties apiece for 48 minutes.
Costigan finished the game with two helpers as Asterito continues to lead Worcester State with 29 points (11 G – 19 A).
Seniors Matt Kail (Ridgewood, NJ), Corey Tobey (Cranston, RI) and Chris Wallin (Avon, CT) were honored in a brief pre-game ceremony on "Senior Night" for participating in thier final home contest.