Men's Ice Hockey Pick Up Shootout Win at Worcester State
WORCESTER, Mass. – The MCLA Men's Ice Hockey team traveled to Worcester State this evening for a MASCAC matchup with the Lancers at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center. With three more MASCAC games to play, the Trailblazers entered the game with a chance to lock in their playoff invitation with a win, while the Lancers were looking to hold onto the number four seed, and the home playoff game that goes with it. In the end, neither team would be fully satisfied with the result as a bonus five minutes of hockey still wasn't enough to decide this one, and it wouldn't be until the fifth round of the shootout that MCLA got to celebrate after Luke Rhoss scored the only shootout goal for either team.
THE BASICS:
- Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025
- Score: MCLA 3, Worcester 3 (MCLA wins shoot out 1-0, after five rounds)
- Records: MCLA Trailblazers 4-16-2 (MASCAC 4-9-2) | Worcester State University Lancers 10-9-2 (MASCAC 7-6-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Worcester scored both of the first period goals. Scoring with just over two minutes off the clock and then again with just under two minutes remaining on the clock. The first goal went to Shane Prifrel (at 2:07, assisted by Matthew Nuzzolilo) while the second was from Brian Clougherty (18:30, Brigham Neuhold and Cody Porcello).
- MCLA saw the Lancers' blueprint and decided to imitate it scoring one goal early in the second period, and a second late in the period. Easton Moore (3:39, Alex Ferris and Cade Herrera) lit the lamp first and Herrera (18:39, Cody White and Sean Schifferl) picked up the equalizer.
- Both teams scored in the third period. Matthew Nuzzolilo (20:00, Stirling Nash and Matthew Peckham) scored for Worcester, while Ferris (20:00, Christopher Gallagher and Quinn Murphy) tied it up for the Trailblazers.
- Following a scoreless overtime period, the teams went to a shootout where both goalies imitated brick walls until Luke Rhoss scored in the fifth round to give MCLA the bonus point in the MASCAC standings.
- The Trailblazers' Mathew Gover (Atkinson, NH / East Coast Wizards) stopped 36 of 39 shots to moving his record to 5-16-1, while the Lancers' Wyatt Friedlander stopped 33 of 36 shots.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Shots: MCLA 36, Worcester 39
- Saves: MCLA 36, Worcester 33
- Faceoffs Won: MCLA 36, Worcester 29
- Penalty/Minutes: MCLA 3/6:00, Worcester 1/2:00
- Power Plays: MCLA 0 for 1, Worcester 0 for 3
UP NEXT:
On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when it travels to UMass-Dartmouth and the Hetland Arena for a MASCAC matchup with the Corsairs. The puck will drop at 7:30 p.m.
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