Ashburnham, MA---WSU took to the road once again to take on the Keene State Owls at Cushing Academy. WSU had a new look with four new players and having three others out with injuries. WSU Owls started their freshman goaltender, Paul McCarthy for his second start of the season. WSU’s four new players are goaltender Phil Ashley stepping in for the injured Liam Whalen, forward Greg Rice stepping in for the injured Robert Poillucci, Defenseman Ryan Laughlin stepping in for the injured Chris O’Sullivan, and picking up Bobby Rash Jr for added offensive support.
The game was a back and forth struggle for most of the first period when WSU went on the power play. One bad pass and a knuckling puck later KSC went in on a 3 on 1 and scored a short handed goal. The 1st period ended with WSU trailing by a goal.
The second period was a different story with WSU taking it to KSC for the majority of the period. With a hard fore-check, WSU forced KSC to turnover the puck throughout the period. Tommy Bruso, Ryan Mumford, and Sean Hayward tallied for the only goal in the second period, and WSU took a one to one tie into the locker-room.
In the 3rd period WSU took the body hard yet again and forced KSC to turnover the puck. A late penalty to WSU’s Bobby Rash gave KSC the break they where looking for and they capitalized scoring a power play goal with 4:44 left in the 3rd, putting WSU down by a goal again. Coach John Guagliardo called WSU’S time out with just over a minute left in the game and WSU was on a power play. With the faceoff deep in the KSC zone, Captain Josh Almieda won the most important face off of the game. WSU pressed the play when the puck found its way to Christopher Hess at the point who unloaded a shot, the rebound came out to Brett Salamon who buried it in the back of the net with just 46 seconds left in the period. This is the way regulation would finish in a 2 to 2 tie.
Overtime was the same for WSU pressing the action deep in the KSC zone. KSC could only dump the puck. The action ended up in WSU’S zone when Greg Rice sprung free for a break away, the KSC defender had to pull Rice down from behind, but the referee Mike O’Hearn called for a penalty shot for WSU’S newest player. The whistle blew to start the most exciting thing in sports: a penalty shot in sudden death overtime. Rice approached the puck with speed and entered the KSC zone faking a forehand shot to the glove side from the hash marks and taking it to his back hand and shooting the puck up and over the goaltender’s blocker into the top corner of the net for the victory. Welcome to the team Greg Rice.
Coach John Guagliardo said, “We would have never made it to overtime if it was not for the superb play of freshman goaltender Paul McCarthy”, who stopped 32 of 34 shots and improving his record to 2-0-0 while WSU is 2-2-0. The rest of the team played well according to their coach; however, there are still some bugs that need to be addressed.
WSU is back on the ice Saturday for their home opener against UMASS.
The 3 stars of the game where all #1 stars in the coaches eyes, Center Brett Salamon for tying the game at two, Goaltender Paul McCarthy for his stellar play between the pipes, and Greg Rice for his sudden death penalty shot goal to end the game in dramatic fashion.
The game was a back and forth struggle for most of the first period when WSU went on the power play. One bad pass and a knuckling puck later KSC went in on a 3 on 1 and scored a short handed goal. The 1st period ended with WSU trailing by a goal.
The second period was a different story with WSU taking it to KSC for the majority of the period. With a hard fore-check, WSU forced KSC to turnover the puck throughout the period. Tommy Bruso, Ryan Mumford, and Sean Hayward tallied for the only goal in the second period, and WSU took a one to one tie into the locker-room.
In the 3rd period WSU took the body hard yet again and forced KSC to turnover the puck. A late penalty to WSU’s Bobby Rash gave KSC the break they where looking for and they capitalized scoring a power play goal with 4:44 left in the 3rd, putting WSU down by a goal again. Coach John Guagliardo called WSU’S time out with just over a minute left in the game and WSU was on a power play. With the faceoff deep in the KSC zone, Captain Josh Almieda won the most important face off of the game. WSU pressed the play when the puck found its way to Christopher Hess at the point who unloaded a shot, the rebound came out to Brett Salamon who buried it in the back of the net with just 46 seconds left in the period. This is the way regulation would finish in a 2 to 2 tie.
Overtime was the same for WSU pressing the action deep in the KSC zone. KSC could only dump the puck. The action ended up in WSU’S zone when Greg Rice sprung free for a break away, the KSC defender had to pull Rice down from behind, but the referee Mike O’Hearn called for a penalty shot for WSU’S newest player. The whistle blew to start the most exciting thing in sports: a penalty shot in sudden death overtime. Rice approached the puck with speed and entered the KSC zone faking a forehand shot to the glove side from the hash marks and taking it to his back hand and shooting the puck up and over the goaltender’s blocker into the top corner of the net for the victory. Welcome to the team Greg Rice.
Coach John Guagliardo said, “We would have never made it to overtime if it was not for the superb play of freshman goaltender Paul McCarthy”, who stopped 32 of 34 shots and improving his record to 2-0-0 while WSU is 2-2-0. The rest of the team played well according to their coach; however, there are still some bugs that need to be addressed.
WSU is back on the ice Saturday for their home opener against UMASS.
The 3 stars of the game where all #1 stars in the coaches eyes, Center Brett Salamon for tying the game at two, Goaltender Paul McCarthy for his stellar play between the pipes, and Greg Rice for his sudden death penalty shot goal to end the game in dramatic fashion.
FINAL SCORE: Westfield State 3 - Keene State 2 OT
Westfield Goals: Bruso (1), Salamon (1), Rice (1)
Power Play: 1 for 8 (13%)
Penalty Kill: 4 for 5 (80%)
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