Box Score
BOSTON, Mass.—Sixty-five minutes wasn't enough to decide a winner, as New England College stymied UMass Boston men's hockey's efforts at clinching their first-ever New England Hockey Conference Regular Season Title Friday night at the Beacons Ice Arena.
THE BASICS
#9/10 UMass Boston 3, New England College 3
(UMass Boston 17-4-3, New England Hockey Conference 13-2-2)
(New England College 11-8-5, New England Hockey Conference 6-6-6)
HOW IT HAPPENED
New England College freshman Connor Fries scored with 8:04 remaining in the third to tie the game for a third and final time, to force a disappointing tie for both sides.
UMass Boston owned leads of 1-0 and 3-1, while the Pilgrims headed into the third period with a 2-1 advantage.
Seniors Matt Lemire (Townsend, Mass.) and Mike Miller (Wrentham, Mass.) and junior Brett Mason (Rowley, Mass.) all scored for the Beacons, who extended their unbeaten streak to four against the Pilgrims (3-0-1).
With his goal, Lemire becomes the fourth Beacons player to reach 40 points in the past four years. UMass Boston hadn't had a player reach the 40-point mark in the 16 seasons before the streak began.
Freshman John Bonno (Kennesaw, Ga.) posted his first collegiate point in just his fourth collegiate game. After not playing since the middle of November, Bonno was credited with an assist on the go-ahead goal of the third.
In net, Billy Faust (Alta Loma, Calif.) stopped 29 of 32 shots to go over 1,200 saves (1,211) for his career.
Fries led the Pilgrims with a goal and two assists, while Shawn Watson and Martin Hallin also added markers.
Brett Killar posted 55 saves on 58 shots to help the Pilgrims avoid a second-consecutive loss.
UMass Boston grabbed the lead at 15:58 of the first period on a snipe by Lemire. Captain Albee Daley (Averill Park, N.Y.) passed up a shot and sent it across to the near side for Lemire, who smoked a shot off the under side of the back bar for a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Colin Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) was credited with the second assist on the play.
New England College evened the score 2:26 into the second, off a great centering feed from Fries. Fries sent a pass in front to Watson, who tapped it home for a 1-1 tie.
The Pilgrims grabbed the lead at 14:37 of the period off a chaotic scene in front. Fries dug the puck out and fed Connor Crouse on the near side and Crouse's shot was blocked by a defender in front. The rebound fell to Hallin on the far side and his shot just floated off of Faust and in for a 2-1 lead.
The Beacons responded in a big way to start the third period, as they created the first seven shots of the period. After Kilar made saves on their first four shots, Mason broke through for his first goal of the year. The sophomore's intial shot was stopped by Kilar, but Drew Gannon (Plano, Texas) and Zach Lindsay (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) found the rebound and fed Mason, who's second chance rifled past Kilar for a 2-2 tie at 2:11.
UMass Boston grabbed their second lead of the day at 8:17, when Bonno led the offensive rush. The freshman defenseman brought the puck in on a 2-on-1 and although his initial shot was stopped, the rebound fell to Miller who potted his 11th goal of the year.
The Pilgrims would have one last answer though, as Fries somehow slipped a soft backhand shot through Faust's five-hole to even the game at 12:56.
UMass Boston would help several great chances to win the game in regulation and overtime, but Kilar was up to the task, making three saves in the final second of regulation and overtime.
BY THE NUMBERS
- UMass Boston outshot the Pilgrims 58-32 and held a 39-33 edge in face-offs.
- Both teams finished 0-for-2 on the power-play.
- With their three goals, UMass Boston went over the century mark (102) for the season. The Beacon sit third in the nation with their 102 goals and fifth with their 4.25 goals per game.
- UMass Boston can clinch the NEHC Regular-Season Title outright on Saturday: with a win, a tie and a Babson College tie or loss, or any result and a Babson loss.
WHO'S NEXT
#9/10 UMass Boston will host St. Anselm College on Saturday at 4 p.m. as part of their Senior Day. The Beacons will honor their nine seniors before the contest.
