For many other teams, a 1-3 record would be a disappointing start to a season. For the UMass Boston men’s ice hockey team, it’s a step in the right direction.
Junior Patrick Donlan scored the game-winning goal with 18 seconds remaining in the third period to give the Beacons their first win of the season, a 5-4 victory over Plymouth State in the consolation game of the Police Athletic League Stovepipe tournament in New Hampshire.
The win was the first for the program in almost two years. The team’s last victory came in the Clark Athletic Center against Southern Maine, 3-2 on February 9, 2002. The most recent win on the road was nearly three years ago, a 4-1 conquest over Skidmore College on January 22, 2001.
The men’s ice hockey team opened up the 2003-04 campaign two weekends ago with a pair of road losses, a 4-0 defeat to Amherst College and then a 7-1 loss to Hamilton.
Thanksgiving weekend saw the team head up Interstate 93 to the Granite State to participate in the P.A.L. Stovepipe tournament. The Beacons’ first round game featured a match-up against Southern New Hampshire University. The Beacons had their finest offensive output as Patrick Donlan, Brian Sullivan, Steve Kelleher, and Stephen Chin each scored a goal. It was not enough, however, as SNH doubled the Beacon goal total, taking an 8-4 victory to advance to the championship game. UMB goaltender Craig Paster made 32 saves in the losing effort.
In the Plymouth State game, the Beacons exploded for three goals in the opening period. Chin scored his second goal of the year at 8:19 mark, and Brandon Kornspan and James Crank each popped in their first of the season.
Plymouth State cut the deficit to two as Rory Nickerson scored on the power play. Crank, however, scored his second goal of the game 25 seconds later to push the lead back to three goals. Plymouth State finished the period strong, scoring twice more, once on a two-man advantage.
All was quiet on the scoreboard until Dennis Kane of Plymouth State scored his fourth goal of the year, tying the game at 4-4. It seemed that the contest was headed for overtime until Donlan provided the heroics with the time in regulation winding down. Crank and senior defenseman Michael Ciarletta registered assists on the play. Paster turned away 26 shots to pick up the win.
The Beacons will be on the road once again, this time facing off against Wesleyan College on Friday, December 5 at 7pm and then against Trinity College on Saturday, December 6 at 7:15 pm. UMB will play its first home game of the season when it meets Babson College at the Clark Athletic Center on Wednesday, December 10 at 7pm.