BOSTON, Mass. – In their regular season finale, UMass Boston Men's Ice Hockey fell to Castleton University for the first time since the 2012-13 season, 3-1, at the Edward T. Barry Ice Rink. The Beacons will head into the New England Hockey Conference Tournament as the sixth seed as Skidmore College won on Saturday afternoon and held the tiebreaker over UMass Boston due to head-to-head record.
THE BASICS
UMass Boston 1, Castleton University 4
UMass Boston (11-14-0, 8-10-0 NEHC)
Castleton University (9-16-0, 7-11-0 NEHC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
It would be the Beacons who struck first in this installment between the two teams as sophomore forward Koyle Bankauskas's pass to senior defender
Nick Daluisio gave way to open space for junior forward
Jacob Banks in the middle of the circles. Banks fired a wrist shot that froze sophomore goalie Simon Brenter in net, putting UMass Boston ahead 1-0 just over two minutes into the game, a lead they would maintain into the second period.
Castleton would mount a response in the second period, netting two goals to take their first lead this season between the two sides. Freshman defender Cedrick Theodore would tie the game up after freshman forward Balint Mesterhazy won the faceoff directly to Theodore at the blue line. The freshman rifled a shot by senior goalie
Sam Best with 12:18 remaining in the frame, tying it up at one.
Freshman forward Dylan Roebuck scored the go-ahead goal with 3:19 remaining in the period when senior defender Kyle Sargent's initial shot bounced off Roebuck who corralled the puck on his stick and froze Best with the glove side shot.
The Spartans would extend their lead on a third period power play goal from sophomore forward Andrew Stefura, the team's leading goal scorer, after a failed clear attempt by the Beacons. Freshman defender Zach Whittaker intercepted the clear attempt and passed the puck over to Stefura on Best's left side for the third goal of the afternoon for Castleton University who led 3-1 with 10:18 left in regulation.
An empty net goal with 26.6 seconds left by freshman forward Jason Atkinson from sophomore defender Romeo Torain woud cushion the Castleton lead as UMass Boston fell in their regular season finale, 4-1, at home.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Sam Best made 23 saves on 26 attempts against Castleton University
- Simon Brenter stopped 40 out of a possible 41 shots made by UMass Boston
- UMass Boston outshot Castleton 80-45 overall and 41-27 in shots on goal
- This is the first time UMass Boston has lost to Castleton University in their last 18 games (15-0-3 entering the day)
WHO'S NEXT
UMass Boston will prepare for the New England Hockey Conference Tournament as the sixth seed. The Beacons will play next Saturday night at 4:00 PM against the Babson College on the road. During the regular season, UMass Boston was 1-0-1 against the Beavers, losing on the road 5-2 against them before earning a 3-1 upset win at home in January.
