Men’s Hockey Drop OT Thriller on the Road

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The MCLA Men's Hockey Team returned to MASCAC play this evening when they traveled to Fitchburg State for a conference matchup with the Falcons at the Wallace Civic Center. Mathew Gover was a stonewall to the Falcons for more than 60 minutes, but so was Frederick Soderberg in the home net, and 46 seconds into the overtime period, Jack Johansen finally solved the puzzle for the hosts, sending the Trailblazers home disappointed.
THE BASICS:
- Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024
- Score: MCLA 0, Fitchburg 1
- Records: MCLA Trailblazers 0-8-0 (MASCAC 0-3-0) | Fitchburg State University Falcons 6-1-0 (MASCAC 3-1-0)
HOW IT WENT DOWN
- The teams traded blows, with MCLA outshooting Fitchburg 15-6 in the first period and the Falcons holding 9-6 and 11-4 advantages in the second and third periods.
- The overtime period was short, with MCLA winning the faceoff and sophomore forward Cade Herrera (Brentwood, CA / Seahawks H.C) having a pair of shots turned aside by Fitchburg's Frederick Soderberg. Herrera's second shot was kicked away and out to Jeremy Maillet. Maillet brought the puck into the Trailblazer's defensive end but escaped back, allowing the Falcons to make a line change. On his way off the ice, Maillet left the puck for Hunter Dunn, who found Jack Johansen along the left-side boards. Johansen then skated across the front of the net and maintained control long enough to push the puck around the MCLA goalie for the game-winner.
- Trailblazers sophomore goalie Mathew Gover stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced on the night, allowing only that overtime goal to fall to 0-8-0 on the year. Soderberg finished the night with a clean sheet, turning away 27 shots en route to a 5-1-0 record.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Shots: MCLA 27, Fitchburg 27
- Saves: MCLA 26, Fitchburg 27
- Faceoffs Won: MCLA 31, Fitchburg 42
- Penalty/Minutes: MCLA 5/10:00, Fitchburg 3/6:00
- Power Plays: MCLA 0 for 3, Fitchburg 0 for 5
UP NEXT:
On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when they play host to Rivier University for a MASCAC matchup with the Raiders at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink. The puck will drop at 8 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED:
For the latest on MCLA Athletics, follow the Trailblazers via our social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter).