Men's Ice Hockey Drops OT Heartbreaker to Plymouth State

PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Sophomore JR Barone (West Chester, Pa.) netted the game-winner 2:53 into overtime as the Worcester State University men's ice hockey team suffered a 4-3 loss to Plymouth State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action Thursday night at Hanaway Arena.

With the loss, the Lancers fall to 10-8-1 overall on the season and 6-6-1 in the MASCAC. The Panthers improve to 12-6-3 and 8-3-2 in conference play.

Senior Matt Volonnino (Hackettstown, N.J.) and sophomore Tim Drevitch (Oxford, N.J.) traded power play goals in the first period, but the Lancers took the lead late in the second. The Panthers cashed in with the man-advantage just over a minute into the third period on a tally from senior Tim Perron (Northborough, Mass.), but Drevitch tallied his second of the game to put the visitors right back in the lead just 1:48 later. Volonnino knotted the game with his second power play strike with 3:25 to play to force overtime.

In the extra frame, senior Evan Morelli (Reading, Mass.) made four saves as the Panthers killed off a penalty and Barone netted the game-winner on a breakaway.

Sophomore Jake Gerbner (Havertown, Pa.) nearly got the Panthers on the board in the first period when he collected his own rebound, spun, and fired a shot from the nearside goal line that banked off the goalie and sat outside the net before being swept to safety. Senior Ryan Stevens (Colleyville, Texas) had a chance of his own shortly after when he skated around a defender along the far side and slung a wrist shot off the post.

Plymouth State was finally rewarded with a power play strike at 8:00 when Volonnino slapped a one-timer from the nearside off a feed through the slot.

Worcester State took advantage of a late power play at 19:01 on a wrister from Drevitch from just above the far side goal line that slipped past the pad of Morelli to know the game at one.

The Lancers grabbed the lead at the 17:30 mark in the second period after freshman Nick Pennucci (Worcester, Mass.) carried the puck along the nearside slot and threw a backhand shot through a screen and into the net.

PSU tied the game just 1:07 into the third period on another power play when Perron's slap shot from the point beat the WSU goaltender to the glove side.

The visitors retook the lead on a 4-on-4 when Drevitch found himself alone in the slot and ripped a wrist shot glove side for his sixth goal of the year.

Volonnino evened the score once again for the Panthers at the 16:35 mark after he managed to poke home the puck during a scrum in front of the net.

Plymouth State killed off a penalty early in the overtime frame, with Morelli making a number of key stops, to set up Barone's game-winner.

 Plymouth State outshot the Lancers by a 37-25 margin. Morelli collected 22 saves for the Panthers to improve to 9-5-3, while sophomore Aaron Callan (South Lyon, Mich.) stopped 33 shots for the Lancers but dropped to 8-4-0.

The Panthers' power play unit cashed in on 3-of-5 opportunities, while Worcester State went 1-of-3 with the man advantage. Volonnino leads the Panthers with 14 goals on the year, while Perron (one goal, two assists) and senior Michael Covach (Shillington, Pa.) (three assists) each recorded three points.

Both teams continue MASCAC play on Saturday (Feb. 2). Plymouth State heads to Fitchburg State for a 5:00 p.m. contest, while the Lancers visit Framingham State at 7:50 p.m.

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Release courtesy of Plymouth State Sports Information.