Worcester, MA --- Junior Nicholas Drill (Madison, WI/Wisconsin Wilderness) scored the eventual game-winning goal with 2:55 remaining in the second period to help pace Worcester State to a 5-4 victory over Westfield State in MASCAC men's ice hockey action this evening at the Ameila Park Arena.

With the win the Lancers have won their third consecutive game and are tied with Framingham State for the final playoff spot in the league. The Owls slip to 11-11-2 (8-7-2 MASCAC) in the loss.

Westfield State freshman Jeremy Young (Lynnfield, MA) potted the only marker of the opening frame when he put the hosts up 1-0 with 7:29 off the clock for his fourth of the season.

Sophomore Jim LeNoir (Exton, PA/Philadelphia Jr Flyers) knotted up the score for the Lancers at the 3:36 mark before senior Cody Osburn (Sacramento, CA/Fresno Monsters) deposited his third of the campaign with some help by senior Taylor Laneville (Edmonds, WA/Helena Bighorns) and junior Crissostomos Villarreal (Corona, CA/Space Coast Hurricanes) just 3½ minutes later.

The Lancer offense exploded and used a 3-1 run to take over the commanding 5-2 edge entering the third period.

Midway through the period, freshman Sean Haltam (Medina, OH/Ogden Mustangs) netted a power play marker at the 10:00 mark and then senior Nathan Stanley (Meridian, ID/Idaho Jr Steelheads) lit up the lamp with his team-best 11th of the season on an unassisted tally 33 ticks later as one man was off the ice for the Owls.

Following a goal with just under eight minutes to play in the second by Westfield State senior Dan Laughlin (Methuen, MA/New England Stars), Drill gave the Lancers a key insurance goal before the end of the middle stanza. Senior RJ Byrne (Marlboro, MA/Boston Jr Bruns) and Villarreal both recorded assists on the decisive score by Drill.

The tally proved to be a crucial one as the Owls came out of the locker room firing, ending the period with the lead in shots (11-5) and the hosts scored twice to narrow the gap to just one goal before the end of the third.

After Laughlin netted his second straight marker with 39 seconds off the scoreboard for his fourth of the year, sophomore Maxine Richard (Trois-Rivieres, Quebec/Amherst Ramblers) scored his 11th with 2:21 left in the contest.

The Owls pulled their goalie for the final 1:04 of regulation, but it wasn't enough as a shot by junior Dalton Jay (Hamilton, Ontario/Hamilton Red Wings) was turned aside by freshman Tyler Fallica (Coram, NY/Ogden Mustangs) and another bid by Young went wide of the open net.

Fallica (5-7-1) finished collecting 28 shots in the victory for the Lancers while senior Ian Perrier (Whitehorse, Yukon Territory/Dresden Ice Dogs) stopped 25 shots and his record falls to 10-7-2.

Worcester State went 2-for-5 on power plays while Westfield State converted two of their six opportunities with the extra man advantage. The hosts held the slim 32-20 edge in shots.

With three straight victories for the Lancers on the road, the Blue and Gold have successfully defeated every single one on their respective "Senior Nights" of their opponents.

Both squads will play again on Tuesday evening. Worcester State entertains Salem State at 8 PM while the Owls travel north to take on Plymouth State in a 6 PM affair.