WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year goalie Aiden Winslow (Jacksonville, Fla.) made 31 saves but an early goal from Worcester forward Brigham Neuhold (Edmond, Okla.) held as the game-winner in a 1-0 Owls setback in MASCAC action on Thursday night from Amelia Park Arena in Westfield, Mass.
Westfield drops to 4-5 on the season and 1-2-1 in the MASCAC while Worcester advances to 3-5-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the league.
The first and only marker was scored 1:54 into the game starting on the stick of Drew Eid (Gorham, Maine) who skated the puck into the Owls defensive end, dumping the puck below the goal to Martin Dlugolinsky (Stara Lubovna, Slovakia). Dlugolinsky possessed the puck and attempted a wrap-around shot that was saved by Winslow with the rebound kicking out the point to Neuhold who ripped home the game's opening goal which served as the lone marker of the night for either side.
Winslow was busy in the opening 20 minutes, keeping the Owls down a goal after racking up 16 saves in the period with eight coming on two man-advantage opportunities for Worcester which were both killed by the Owls.
In the second period, Westfield killed another Lancers power play chance this time using stout defense, preventing the Lancers from any consistent zone time which resulted in one shot towards goal which was saved by Winslow.
Just over two minutes after the Worcester man advantage, the Owls were given their first power play of the night but were unsuccessful in finding the equalizer as Westfield was held to just one shot that went wide of Lancers goalie Wyatt Friedlander (Lake Placid, N.Y.).
With 10:30 left in the second period, Neuhold nearly had a second goal for Worcester, receiving a pass in tight on the net where he would fire a line-drive wrister that forced Winslow to make a glove save.
With the Owls trailing by one goal entering the third period, Westfield had one of their best series of chances in the opening minutes of the frame with an initial shot from Louis Ouellet (Baie-Comeau, Quebec) turned aside by Friedlander with the rebound finding Cooper Board (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) whose follow-up shot was also batted away by Friedlander. With 15:19 left in the game, Westfield was given their second power play of the night which resulted in no shots in part to the Lancers strong penalty-killing units.
Worcester held most of the possession time late in the third, forcing Winslow to stay in his net where he was then eventually pulled for the extra skater with 45 seconds left once Westfield managed to enter the attacking zone. A pair of shots from Steven Sedivy-Blengino (Pribram, Czech Republic) were blocked by two different Worcester defenders inside the final minute and after consecutive timeouts from Westfield then Worcester with 15 seconds left, Worcester won the face off in the their own end, sending the puck down the ice where the clock would ultimately expire.
Friedlander (W, 2-3) made 22 saves to give Worcester their second consecutive shutout victory. Winslow made 31 saves as the Owls were outshot by Worcester 32-22 on the night.
A tough test awaits Westfield for their next game as the Owls visit Plymouth State on Saturday at 6:00 P.M.