WESTFIELD, Mass. - Westfield State sophomore forward Cooper Board netted the game-winner in overtime to give the Owls a 3-2 hockey win over Post University in the opening round of the Western Mass Invitational tournament at Amelia Park Arena on Friday evening.
With the win, Westfield advances to the title game on Saturday, to face Western New England at 7:35 at Amelia Park Arena. The Golden Bears were a 7-1 winner over Franklin Pierce University in the other first round game, played at the Olympia in West Springfield on Friday night.
Franklin Pierce and Post will play in the consolation final at Amelia Park on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
Board lifted a shot to the upper left corner of the net on the Owls second rush of the 3-on-3 overtime. Westfield won the face off but was thwarted on an initial try when Post goalkeeper Drew Blodgett foiled a centering pass from behind the net.
Owls' goalkeeper Kevin Chandler came up with the save on Post's first shot in the ot, which set up the Owls game winner as Raphael Sequin sent the puck cross ice to Board who broke in on Blodgett for the game winner.
Chandler was a key factor for the Owls, as he came into the game less than five minutes into the first, when Owls starter Valtteri Valtonen left with an apparent injury. Chandler finished with 36 saves in 55 minutes of play, and he himself exited the game late in the second period with a broken skate, and Duncan Nichols-Delay came in and made a pair of saves for Westfield to close out the second period before Chandler could return to start the third.
Westfield native Ryan Moorhouse put the Owls on the board first as he tallied on a breakaway after Christian Miraldo poked the puck away near center ice.
The second period saw a parade to the penalty box for the Owls who registered eight penalties, and played at least a man down for nearly 15 minutes in the period. Ryan Mosher scored an unassisted goal at the 4:27 mark of the second to tie the game at 1-1.
Andreas Fleutot's first goal as an Owl put Westfield on top 2-1, but Post answered with a tally from Nick Brewer to level the game at 2-2 and force the overtime period to determine who would advance in the tournament.
Post out-shot the Owls 42-28, with most of the damage coming in the second period, when the Eagles had a 17-6 edge in shots.
Blodgett finished with 25 saves for the Eagles.