Kevin Chandler
Posted: Feb 10, 2024
WESTFIELD, Mass. – A pair of third period goals by MCLA's Easton Moore (Red Deer, Alberta) was the difference in the game as Westfield State dropped a 3-1 decision to the Trailblazers in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game on the road Saturday night.
The Owls are now winless in their last three games, falling in two of those contests to move to 9-8-2 in the conference and 12-9-2 overall. The Trailblazers improve to 4-14-1 in the league and 6-16-1 on the year.
Moore picked up a point on all three scoring plays for MCLA, assisting on the game's first tally from Luke Rhoss (Monroe, N.Y.) 10:20 into the opening period.
With five minutes to play in the first period, Tomas Muller (Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic) tied the game for the Owls, collecting a feed from Andreas Fleutot (Megeve, France) from just inside the offensive blue line where he wristed a shot past Trailblazers goaltender Mathew Gover (Atkinson, N.H.), ringing off the post and in.
Both teams were held scoreless in the second period, setting up Moore for the go-ahead goal at the midway point of the third period, receiving the puck in the neutral zone where he would skate two-on-one into the offensive end and rip a shot past Kevin Chandler (Hanover, Mass.) for the lead.
The Owls had several chances to tie the game, including consecutive power play opportunities as the Owls were held without a shot on goal in the first opportunity while the second chance was halted thirty seconds in due to an Owls penalty.
After the completion of both penalties, Westfield had a two-on-none chance only to have Gover deliver a sensational sprawling save across the crease to keep the Trailblazers up one goal. Another man-advantage chance was given to Westfield with 2:30 remaining in the game, but strong defense from MCLA kept the Owls scoreless in the period.
Westfield's final look came inside a minute remaining in the game as a wrister from Nicolas Coppola (Glendale, Ariz.) hit off the post and deflected away from the net, eventually leading to an empty-net marker from Moore to eliminate the Owls comeback efforts.
Chandler (L, 5-4-1) made 28 saves for the Owls while Gover (W, 5-13-1) stopped 31 of 32 shots for MCLA.
Westfield State will seek to get back on track entering the final week of the regular season as the Owls will travel to Fitchburg State on Thursday at 6:30 P.M. before returning home to face UMass Dartmouth on senior night for the regular season finale on Saturday at 5:35 P.M. from Amelia Park.