GORHAM, Maine – Luke Festa and Chase Carney each scored two goals as the Keene State College men's ice hockey team erased a two-goal third period deficit and salvaged a point in the Little East Conference standings, but the Owls still could not break their losing streak as they dropped a 6-5 overtime decision to the University of Southern Maine at the USM Ice Arena on Saturday night.

It was nonetheless an improved result for the Owls (5-11-0, 1-9-0 LEC), whose only conference points so far had come in a 5-4 home win over Western Connecticut State University on November 15.  The week prior, KSC dropped their first two conference games including being blanked 3-0 by Southern Maine and Loic Morin on November 8.

The shutout was gone for Morin and the Huskies (9-7-1, 7-2-1 LEC) just 1:21 on a milestone goal for freshman Kaleb MacAulay – the first of his collegiate career – and Chase Carney doubled the Owl lead by scoring off a feed from Sean McBride just over three minutes later.

The Huskies came storming back from there, getting within one after one thanks to the first goal of Gavin Simopoulous' hat trick at 12:39 of the first.  Simopoulous got the home team off and running quickly in the second, tying the game just 1:46 in before Owen Arend lit the lamp just 1:07 later to put the Huskies ahead for the first time.

Southern Maine twice led by two, including 5-3 through two, but in an encouraging sign, KSC fought back.  Carney potted his second goal of the night on the power play 5:38 into the third period to make it a 5-4 game and Festa fired in the game-tying marker with 6:19 left for his second career multi-goal effort.  Goalie Ethan Swanson, who entered in relief of Cameron Reardon in the second, made six of his 15 saves down the stretch to send the game to the extra session.

The Huskies controlled the action in the 4-on-4 overtime, and after KSC got in the way of the first three shot attempts, they could not on the fourth as John Hagan gave Southern Maine a home win and two points in the standings.

"The boys showed a lot of resiliency, but we are still making too many unforced errors right now," said KSC head coach Bobby Rodrigue.

Unlike some other contests during the skid and this season, special teams did not prove harmful for the Owls, who were whistled for just two penalties and killed off both chances.  They notched a power play goal in a big spot through Carney but were unsuccessful in their other four man-advantage chances.

Morin made 23 saves for Southern Maine, who in addition to Simopoulous, got a goal and two assists from Ethan Macduff and three assists from Kayde Knaschuk.

Kyle Gonzalez had a pair of helpers for KSC, who will get back in action tomorrow at ninth-ranked Babson College at 4:00 p.m.  The Owls fell to the Beavers 4-1 at home in their first meeting.  Keene State returns home to Keene Ice next weekend to host New England College and Plymouth State University.