WESTFIELD MA — The Westfield State Owls' Gianluca Marini's overtime goal gave the Owls a 3-2 win in a thriller against MASCAC opponent UMASS Dartmouth at Amelia Park.
The Westfield State Owls improve to 5-3-1 (3-2-1 MASCAC) on the season. As the UMASS Dartmouth Corsairs fall to 4-5 (3-4 MASCAC) on the season.
Marini's (Lighthouse Point, FL) goal winning game came with under a minute to go in overtime. A forced turnover in center ice by the Owls' Daniel Finnegan (Chicago, IL) popped the puck out to Marini who took it to net, outskating two Corsairs defenders as his shot found the back of the net. Finnegan's assist on Marini's goal marks his third of the night.
A goal in the 18th minute of the third period from the Owls' Nicolas Coppola (Glendale, AZ) sent the game into overtime. Coppola's goal came after a shot from Finnegan hit off the post leaving the puck to the side of the net where Coppola was able to finish the job by poking it past the goalie, making it 2-2 to send it to overtime.
The Corsairs found themselves on the board first as Kevin Johnston (Mahwah, NJ) scored a power play goal in the 8th minute of the first period. The Owls had killed the Corsairs first power play but were unable to kill the second. As a pass from Micheal Perrone (Mount Sinai, NY) found Collin Patterson (Rockledge, FL) beside the net forcing the Owls' goaltender Valtteri Valtonen (Helsinki, Finland) to come out of the net as Patterson then sent the puck back up to the top of the crease where Johnston was waiting for the one time shot.
The Owls came out of the first period intermission hot as they found their first goal of the night two minutes into the second period. In the Owls' first power play of the night, Cooper Board (Salem, MA) scored for the Owls. Board found the back of the net after a pad save on a shot by Emile Pichette (Saint-Eustache, Quebec) bounced the puck out to Board who waited at the top of the crease where he one timed it. The initial shot by Pichette was assisted by Finnegan.
The Corsairs second goal of the night came in the fourth minute of the third period. The Corsairs found themselves with a five on three advantage as the Owls received two penalties within seconds of each other. Jake Maynard (St. John, IN) took advantage of the outnumbered Owls as his shot from the faceoff circle found the back of the net. Tyler Stewart (Pittsburgh, PA) received the puck low in right side faceoff circle, feeling pressure from the Owls, he sent the puck back up to Perrone who then sent the puck across the ice to Maynard who waited on the left faceoff circle where he ripped a shot past Valtonen and the Owls' defense.
For the Corsairs, goaltender Daniel Davidson () made 30 saves, netting a 0.909 save percentage. Perrone led the Corsairs in points with two points, after having a hand in both goals.
For the Owls, goaltender Valtteri Valtonen made 43 saves, netting a 0.956 save percentage. Finnegan led the Owls in points with three, after having a hand in all the three goals for the Owls.
The next game for UMASS Dartmouth is Tuesday December 5 at 7:30 p.m. against Anna Maria College at Hetland Arena in New Bedford MA.
The next game for the Owls is Thursday December 7 at 7:35 p.m. at home against Assumption College. Visit WestfieldStateOwls.com for all the stats and scores.
~ Written by sports information intern Jordan Aguiar
