Pepperidge Farms Face Off Classic Tournament Page

Auburn, MA --- Western New England junior Kory Grahl (San Diego, CA) recorded three points for a goal and an assist as he helped lead Golden Bear comeback over Worcester State this evening as the two teams drew to a 3-3 tie in the opening round of the Pepperidge Farms Face Off Classic.

WNEC (1-0-1), however, advances to the title game after third-year Cory Hansen (Noblesville, IN) sent in the decisive marker in the sudden-death round of the shootout. The visitors will play Southern New Hampshire in the championship game at 7:30 on Saturday while the Lancers (0-0-1) take on Johnson & Wales in the consolation match at 4:30 PM.

But the Golden Bears came roaring back as they outshot the Lancers 36-8 over the next 45 minutes of game play. WNEC would score once in the second period on a marker by Grahl and twice at the beginning of the third on goals by freshman Chris Connors (Albany, NJ) and Hansen as Grahl contributed the two assists.

In the extra session, the visitors outshot WSU 4-1 and they did not take advantage of a power play opportunity that occurred midway through the period.

Worcester State junior keeper Bryan Kalczynski (Tonawanda, NY) stopped the first three shots he saw in the shootout before Hansen used a left wrist shot to sneak a goal past him for the match-clincher. Kalczynski finished the contest with 45 saves as his counterpart, freshman Eric Sorenson (Rochester, NY) collected 23.

Sorenson also stopped three attempts on net in the shootout. WNEC was 0-for-5 on power play opportunities while the Lancers were 1-for-3.