Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Lancers (2-5, 2-4 MASCAC) faced off against the MCLA Trailblazers in a puck-drop at the DCU Center for a conference matchup.
Worcester State opened up play for the Worcester Railers in their annual DCU Center game, which this year focused on the "Grow the Game" initiative to promote hockey.
FINAL: LANCERS: 4 MCLA: 2
RECAP:
END FIRST PERIOD: LANCERS 1 MCLA 1
The Lancers came out buzzing in the first minutes of their annual DCU Center game. There were great looks early with shots on net and pressuring of the Trailblazer goaltender. With 8:56 remaining in the first, first-year forward Evan Armit scored on a beautiful pass from first-year forward Spencer Hecklinger (Denver, CO) who was found by first-year defenseman Luc Fricchione to make it a 1-0 lead.
The Blue & Gold committed the first penalty of the night as senior forward Brian Clougherty (Lynn, MA) was sent to the penalty box 13:23 into the period for boarding. The Lancer penalty kill unit held it down to keep the one-goal lead.
MCLA didn't back down from the deficit with Christopher Gallagher squeaking a dribbler past junior goalkeeper Wyatt Friedlander's (Lake Placid, N.Y.) five hole to equalize the score 1-1.
END SECOND: LANCERS: 3 MCLA: 1
The second period was a hard fought battle between both teams with each side seeing plenty of scoring chances.
Junior Martin Dlugolinsky (Stara Lubovna, Slovakia) found the back of the net 7:29 into the period as junior Max Tucker (Kalamazoo, MI) was credited with the assist, lifting the Lancers to a 2-1 lead.
Good karma found its way to Tucker with the forward tucking one past the MCLA goalkeeper to put his team up 3-1 16:52 into the period, giving his team a commanding lead. Sophomore Anders Grongstad (Royal Oak, MI) was credited with the assist
Junior Christian Phinney (Draper, UT) was sent to the penalty box 12:53 into the second for cross checking. Fellow junior Cody Porcello (Melrose,MA) found himself in the box late into the period for high sticking with 1:22 remaining.
END THIRD / FINAL: LANCERS 5 MCLA 3
The Lancers started off hot each period, the third wouldn't be any different with graduate student Brendan Ronan (Saugus, MA) scoring on a rebound 15:04 into the final period making the score 4-1.
This period showed chippiness and hard hits all around indicating that these two teams were competing for 60 minutes.
MCLA cut the lead in half on a goal from on a big shot in the slot that barely hit the side post and got past Friedlander who did all he could to stop the puck.
The Trailblazers made it interesting at the end, scoring a goal with 41.1 seconds remaining in the game and would use the sixth skater advantage for the puck drop.
The Lancers were not phased, scoring on the open net on a deflection from Porcello after the face off in MCLA territory to seal the victory 5-3.
With the win, the Lancers improve to (3-5, 3-4 MASCAC) while MCLA drops to (2-8-1, 0-6-1).
The next game for Worcester St. will be a rescheduled contest from the beginning of the season and Woo Cup consolation game versus Nichols College at Nichols rink in Burrillville, RI December 5th with a 7:40 p.m. puck drop.