Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Lancers (4-13, 3-10 MASCAC) traveled to Western Massachusetts where they faced off against the MCLA Trailblazers (3-13-1, 1-11-1) in a crucial conference matchup that could decide playoff seeding.
The last game between these two took place in early December with both teams having the opportunity to play at the DCU Center as Worcester walked away with a 5-3 win.
FINAL: LANCER 6 | MCLA 4
HOW IT HAPPENED:
It took just five minutes into the game for first-year forward Evan Armit (Dryden, Ontario) to notch his third goal of the season. First-year forward Brady Carpenter (Peabody, MA) was credited with his third assist on the year as first-year forward Christian Howanitz (Boulder, CO) joined him picking up his first point of his collegiate career.
Ten minutes passed as MCLAs Easton Moore (Red Deer, AB) tied the game 1-1 with teammate forward Sean Schifferl (Fort Myers, FL) picking up his sixth assist of the season.
Brigham Neuhold (Edmond, Okla,) gave the lead back to Worcester with less than two minutes in the period for his fifth goal of the season making the score 2-1. Senior forward Mikey Wilson (Alexandria, VA.) and Graduate student Brendan Ronan (Saugus, Mass.) each were involved as Wilson picked up his fifth assist of the year, Ronan recording his team-high eighth.
The second period was action-packed with thirteen penalties being blown in this period alone. MCLA Connor Nagy (Trenton, MI) became the first victim of the penalty box as he was sent off for interference nearly a minute after the opening puck drop. The Lancers took advantage of the power play as junior forward Maxwell Tucker (Kalamazoo, Mich.) scored his fourth of the season to expand the lead to 3-1. Ronan tallied his second assist of the night along with sophomore forward Shane Prifrel (Inner Grove Heights, Minn.), his sixth of the year.
MCLA eventually gained a man advantage of their own, capitalizing with a score from Sean Schiffrel (Fort Myers, FL) with help from teammates Shane Green (Bear, DE) and Cade Herrera (Brentwood, CA) cutting the deficit to 3-2 with fifteen seconds remaining in the second quarter.
It wouldn't take long for Worcester to get back that goal, this time with Mikey Wilson scoring thirty seconds into the period off an assist from senior forward Brian Clougherty (Lynn, MA) doubling the lead to 4-2.
Continuing the back and forth, MCLA answered with a goal of their own from Gavin Glaubitz, assisted by Easton Moore and Addam Brunner as the Worcester lead was once again slashed as MCLA would not go away quietly.
Netting his fourth goal of the season, Shane Prifel took matters into his own hands to deliver the finishing blow scoring with help from Clougherty, his second of the night.
MCLA brought drama into this one scoring a goal with forty seconds remaining as Cade Herrera squeaked one past the netminder to add to his assist earlier in the night making it 5-4, but Mikey Wilson put one through the pipes as the goalie was pulled to put this game away with a score of 6-4
With the win, the Lancers improve to (5-13, 4-10 MASCAC) as MCLA drops to (3-14-1, 1-12-1 MASCAC).
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lancers will Worcester Ice Center for a coveted matchup against Plymouth State (23-3-1, 10-3 MASCAC) who are currently ranked seventh in the nation for a tilt on Saturday, January 27th for a scheduled 3:20 PM puck drop.