Auburn, MA --- Western New England sophomore John Kelly (Staten Island, NY) snapped a 1-1 with 8:25 left in the third period to help lead the Golden Bears to an eventual 4-1 triumph over Worcester State in the Pepperidge Farms Faceoff Classic championship game this evening at Horgan Memorial Rink.
The crown for WNE (2-1) is their second-straight after they won the title last year. The Lancers even out to 1-1 on the season.
The Golden Bears started off the game with the first collegiate goal for freshman Nick Diorio (Newington, CT) who scored with 6:50 off the clock in the first period. The Blue and Gold would fail to take advantage of a five-minute major penalty – for what would prove to be only man inside the box in the opening frame.
Worcester State responded in the second period on the first career goal for freshman Stephen Rock (Tulsa, OK) at the 11:14 mark. The Lancers would kill a trio do penalties in the second period to keep the game knotted at 1-1 entering the third.
The Blue and Gold would have a golden opportunity with consecutive power play chances at the beginning of the final stanza, but did nothing with the opportunity.
That would set the stage for Kelly's heroics as he received a tremendous pass from the right side from second-year Chris Connors (Albany, NY). Kelly would then skate around the net and fool sophomore net minder Taylor Fant (Denver, CO) with a goal that got past him for the game-winner.
The Golden Bears would then put the game away with tallies from sophomore Dan Monahan (Monroe, NY) and classmate Brian Prost (Parma, OH). Prost's marker came on a late power play.
Western New England was paced by Tournament MVP, sophomore Eric Sorenson (Fairport, NY) who stopped 53of the 56 shots he saw throughout the duration of the competition including 19 tonight. Connors also received a nod to the squad for adding two goals in their 5-2 opening round win over Johnson & Wales and the game-winning dish tonight.
Fant finished with 38 saves in the cage for the Lancers. Overall, WSU was 0-for-4 with the extra man advantage.
Senior Tim D'Orazio (Mechanisburg, PA) and freshman Andrew Pierson (Clovis, CA) were both honorees for the Lancers on the All-Tournament Team.
Other selections included senior Jeremiah Ketts (Foristell, MO) and junior Danny Kaufmann (Scotch Plains, NJ) of Johnson and Wales and Josh Groyl (Rochester, MI) of Suffolk.
Worcester State will end their home stand as they start MASCAC play with UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday at 5:30. The Golden Bears entertain Wentworth in an ECAC Northeast affair on Thursday at 7:15.