Worcester State Clipped by Westfield State in OT, 5-4

WORCESTER, Mass. – Westfield State's Rob Neuwirth (Zlin, Czech Republic) scored the Owls' game-winning goal just 29 seconds into the overtime period to seize the 5-4 victory over Worcester State in a Thursday (Nov. 17) night Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup inside the Hart Recreation Center.

With the win, the Owls advance their record to 4-2 and 2-2 in the MASCAC, while the Lancers dip to 1-4-1 and 1-2-1 in conference play.

The first goal of the game came midway through the first period when the Owls' forward Mason Wade (Bellingham, Wash.) scored on assists from Josh Delezenne (Coral Springs, Fla.) and Nik Passero (Fort Erie, Ont.). The score proved to be 1-0 at the completion of the first as the Owls outshot the Lancers 10-6 in the stanza.

The second period started intensely right from the opening faceoff. Early in the period on a Lancer power play, Worcester's Kyle Griffin (Marlboro, Mass) passed across the point to Alex DeWitz (Oronoco, Minn.) who found line mate Jeff Pierson (Longwood Fla.) who scored on a wrist shot below the right dot to knot the score at 1-1.

Tempers flared for each team as the players chirped back and forth causing some extracurricular after the whistle, leading to penalties.

The Owls Jackson Leef (Fort Wayne, Ind.)  responded on a power play with a wrist shot from the slot on a pass from Lenny Caglianone (Matawan, N.J.) to make the score 2-1 Owls.

Soon to follow came another Owl goal to put the Lancers in a hole.  Leef found line mate Francis-Xavier Girard (St. Lazare, Quebec) who scored a quick goal on a rush to gain momentum.

Late in the second period, the Lancers got another power play and forward Mike Palmer (Grafton, Mass.) took advantage, scoring off of rebounds in front of the net. The second period ended 3-2 Owls, but the Lancers would start the third period with a power play.

Midway through the third period, Palmer and Mike Moran (Milford, Mass.) connected once again as Palmer registered his second goal of the night and Moran tallied his second assist of the game.

Late in the third, Moran put the Lancers up 4-3 on a rocket shot past the Owls' netminder, Kameron Limburg (Howell, Mich.).

However, with under a minute left on the clock, the Owls pulled their goalie and their risk paid off with three seconds left in a power play.  Leef's wrist shot from the right circle zoom below the pipe for the tying goal.

As Leef knotted the score at 4-4, the game went into overtime. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for the game to come to a decision, as Neuwirth netted the game-winner on assists from Jeremy Young (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Carl Greco (Niagra Falls, Ont.) 29 second in.

Limburg recorded the win in goal as he stopped 29 shots, while Cory Lignelli (Glastonbury, Conn.) took the loss in a 28-save performance.

Worcester State went 3-for-8 on power play opportunities, while the Owls sat at .400 going 2-for-5.

Next up, the Lancers travel to Southern New Hampshire on Nov. 22 for a 7:30 p.m. game, before returning home on Nov. 29 as they host cross-town opponents, Assumption College. The Owls resume MASCAC play this Saturday (Nov. 19) when they travel to Framingham State for a 7:40 p.m. puck drop.

Release written by Bobby Costanzo | Sports Information Intern