WORCESTER, Mass. – After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, the No. 6 seeded Salem State University Vikings came back and captured the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) quarterfinal win over the No. 3 seeded Worcester State University when Dan Holland (Woburn, Mass.) scored the game-winner midway through the third period.
THE BASICS
February 24, 2018
Worcester Ice Center
Score: Salem State 3, Worcester State 2
Records: Salem State (10-11-5) | Worcester State (13-11-2)
1ST PERIOD
12 minutes into the game, the Lancers' Cody Weaver (West Greenwich, R.I.) pulled the puck out from behind the net and, using the boards, passed to Mitchell Purdie (Peterborough, Ont.), who found Matthew Manning (Novi, Mich.) open on the left side of the net for the first goal of the game. The scoring would continue for the Lancers after Mike Moran (Milford, Mass.) fought for the puck behind the net and was able to connect with Tim Drevitch (Oxford, N.J.) who fired a shot over the glove of the Vikings netminder, Jason Pucciarelli (Newmarket, Ont.), to increase the Lancer lead to 2-0. Worcester State held a slim 11-10 margin in shots in the frame.
2ND PERIOD
The Vikings reached the board halfway through the second period when Parker Wood (Rochester Hills, Mich.) dumped the puck to a chasing Michael Casale (Stoney Creek, Ont.). Casale then fired a shot over the shoulder of Lancer goalie, Josh Reinstein (Woodland Hills, Calif.) to cut the Lancers' lead in half (2-1). After a penalty against the Lancers, Casey Miller (Billerica, Mass.) won the faceoff and sent it behind him to Callum Hofford (Woodbridge, Ont.) who skated across the blue line and fired a shot into the back of the net to knot it up at 2-2 with just 1:40 to go in the stanza.
3RD PERIOD
Salem State took the 3-2 lead 11:50 into the final frame as Holland collected the puck in the Vikings' defensive zone and skated through the Lancers to get into the offensive zone, in turn, putting the puck past Reinstein. The Vikings would hold off the Lancers, despite two Worcester State power play opportunities, for the 3-2 quarterfinal win.
INSIDE THE GLASS
- Holland's game-winner was his first goal of the season.
- Worcester State outshot the Vikings 36-26 throughout the game.
- Pucciarelli improves to 10-11-5 on the season as he stopped 34-of-36 shots for a 94.4 save percentage.
- Reinstein suffered the loss as he made 23 saves in the 58:56 minutes played.
- Salem State killed off six Worcester State power plays throughout the game, as the Lancers converted on zero power plays.
- Salem State was .500 on power plays, going 1-for-2.
UP NEXT
Salem State will head to the No. 2 seed, Fitchburg State University, on Tuesday (Feb. 27) for a 7 p.m. semifinal matchup. Worcester State concludes the 2017-18 season at 13-11-2 overall.
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Release written by Nicholas Gendreau | Sports Information Intern