Assumption 6, Worcester State 2
Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Pat O'Kane (Hollis, NH) scored a pair goals and classmate Nick Blanchette (Stuart, FL) collected 31 stops to help lead Assumption to a 6-2 victory on Thursday evening in non-conference ice hockey action.
The Ice Hounds (11-9-1) avenge a 5-4 overtime loss at the IPC Hockey tournament earlier this year. Worcester State, who has drawn ties in its last two games, falls to 5-12-2 on the season.
O'Kane put the Ice Hounds up 1-0 at 7:04 in the opening frame before WSC freshman Eric Rutz (Mechanicsville, PA) responded with a power play goal 1:15 later to knot the score.
O'Kane registered his team-leading 25th goal of the season at 10:38 to give Assumption a 2-1 edge after the first period. In the first stanza, WSC killed four extra-man opportunities which included three in the final eight minutes of play.
Junior Shaun Tribbett (Austin, TX) opened the second with his first marker of the season for Worcester State at 2:58 on an assist by sophomore John Cahalane (Tewksbury, MA) to tie the score 2-2, but Assumption would score three consecutive goals late in the period to take a commanding 5-2 edge.
Freshman Jaime Vona (West Sceneca, NY) tallied the game-winner at 13:57 while sophomore Taylor Larson (Blackstone, MA) and freshman Cam Maillett (Leominster, MA) scored 12 seconds apart towards the end of the frame.
Junior Peter Bouchie (Belmont, MA) tacked on the exclamation point midway through the third period for his first goal of the season for Assumption as they cruised ahead for the victory.
The Lancers would hold off four more power play attempts in the final stanza as they were whistled for total 11 penalties for the game. The Ice Hounds were 1-for-11 with the extra man advantage while WSC was 2-for-4. Assumption also held a 39-33 lead in shots and a 14-9 edge in the final period.
Blanchette improved his record to 10-4-1 in the triumph for the Hounds while the freshman Zach Hansen (Dexter, MI) tallied 33 stops for the Lancers as he fell to 1-5-2.
Both teams will host conference games on Saturday evening. Framingham State visits Horgan Rink for a key MASCAC matchup at 7:30 while the Ice Dogs entertain Franklin Peirce at 6:35 PM.