KEENE, N.H. – Freshman
Peter Unger tipped home a wrist shot from sophomore
Marcus Chrisafideis 20 seconds into overtime as the Keene State College men's ice hockey team finished off a stirring comeback from three goals down in the third period to beat Saint Anselm College 6-5 on Tuesday night at Keene Ice.
Highlights
Postgame Interview (Bobby Rodrigue)
Postgame Interview (Peter Unger/Marcus Chrisafideis)
Kicking off a string of four consecutive home games, the Owls (8-10-1) trailed most of the night and found themselves in a 5-2 hole with less than nine minutes to go after killing off a Hawks power play. St. Anselm (11-9-2) opened a pair of three goal advantages, first scoring with 2:40 to go in the first and then twice within 4:01 of each other early in the second to make it 4-1. Chrisafideis scored his second of the night with 7:05 to go in the second to give the Owls a flicker of hope, but it seemed the Hawks were well in command after Steve Armstrong responded with 2:43 left in the second to restore a 5-2 lead.
Instead, what transpired was one of KSC's most riveting and memorable victories in their first Division III season. With Jamison Alicandro off for interference and 40 seconds gone on the Owls power play, Chrisafideis fired a shot on Cam Carroll that he saved, but
Chase Carney skated onto and potted the juicy rebound to make it 5-3 with 8:26 to go, helping set the comeback in motion. Only 1:23 later, it was suddenly a one-goal game as
Payton Jones retrieved a puck in the near corner and immediately fired a centering pass that Unger was able to slide home for his fifth goal of the season. The Owl freshman and top line right winger also had a factor in the game-tying and game-winning goals, first chipping a puck out of KSC's own defensive zone where
Corey Tumenas was able to skate onto it and create a two-on-none chance, eventually sliding a pass over the
Shane Mazur to bury a goal as they moved in on Carroll. Both of Mazur's goals this season have been tying goals in the third period, also scoring to make it 3-3 against St. Michael's College on December 7 in an eventual overtime victory.
In total, KSC erased a three-goal deficit in just 2:39 of game time to force the game to overtime tied at five. Carroll made six saves over the final four minutes of the period to give his team a chance. The Owls have shown an ability to rally from behind this season on a number of occasions, as they erased two different two goal deficits in their season-opener against Rivier University before falling in overtime. On Martin Luther King Day, they also faced a three-goal hole in the third at home against Fitchburg State University before scoring twice to make it 3-2. Ultimately, a second shorthanded goal allowed proved to foil that comeback attempt – but tonight's would not be.
Overtime lasted all of one shift as the Owls won the opening faceoff and Unger skated it behind Artur Dzilavyan and KSC's own net. He began his rush up the ice 10 seconds into the period, passing off to Chrisafideis on his right who entered the zone. The Owls' leading scorer cut to his left upon the zone entry and fired from near the top of the left faceoff circle, where Unger was there to tip it home for his second of the night to polish off a stirring comeback.
Unger finished with two goals and an assist on the night, while Chrisafideis had two goals and two assists. KSC's top line of Carney centering Unger and Chrisafideis combined for five goals and three assists on the night as their impressive season continues.
Ben Skelton made 34 saves in the opening two periods before Dzilavyan played the final 20:20 and stopped 14 to get the win. Carroll made 26 stops in the losing effort.
Garrett Alberti had two goals and an assist for the Hawks while Hunter Brackett had a goal and two assists. Alberti scored his goals 4:01 apart midway into the second period to help expand a 2-1 lead for the visitors to three for the first time, but it would not last.
KSC plays the second of their four straight home games on Saturday (February 1) at 7:00 p.m. when they welcome Franklin Pierce University (0-20-1, 0-14-0 Northeast-10). St. Anselm hosts Post University (9-11-0, 7-7-0 Northeast-10) on Friday (January 31) and Saturday for a weekend conference set.
