HOOKSETT, N.H. - Zach Lubinski scored the game-winning goal in overtime as the Saint Anselm College men's ice hockey team was defeated by Southern New Hampshire University, 4-3, Tuesday evening at The Ice Den.
With the loss, the Hawks are dished their first NE-10 defeat of the season and will drop to 11-8-2 overall and 3-1-0 in the league, while the Penmen, who won their fourth straight, will improve to 6-12-2, 4-3-1 in conference play. This is the Hawks' first loss to the Penmen since Feb. 6, 2007. Saint Anselm now leads the all-time series, 26-3-1.
Knotted at three 2:06 into the extra frame, Dane Caracino skated towards the net from the blue line, split two defenders and dished the puck from right to left to Lubinski at the left post. Lubinski gathered the puck and sent it into the open left side of the net to give the Penmen the victory.
SHNU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, before the Hawks scored three goals of their own, including two in the first and one in the second, to tie things up at 3-3.
The Penmen staked claim on a 1-0 lead at 4:08 when Jim Gabrione connected with a pass from Steven Berry and sent the puck past Saint Anselm junior goaltender Nick Dries (Commerce Township, Mich.).
The Penmen pushed their lead to two at 9:50 when John Humphrey capitalized on a power-play opportunity on a feed from Casey Goll. Gabrione also picked up an assist on the sequence.
SNHU gained its largest lead of the night when Mike Durelli scored at 13:24. Jim O'Connor and Steven Berry were each credited with assists on the play.
Saint Anselm began to chip away at the deficit, first with an individual effort from Joe Tebano (Glastonbury, Conn.) at 16:39. While the Hawks were down a man, Tebano skated through the Penmen defense and sent the puck to the back of the net from just outside the crease.
Mike Richard (Derry, N.H.) was second to strike for the Hawks on a Saint Anselm power play at 18:25. Richard received a pass from Eric Czapka (Holland, Pa.) before he skated towards the net and sent a blast from the left circle that went top shelf.
The only goal in the rest of regulation – the Hawks' game-tying goal – came from John Hyslip (Andover, Mass.) at 12:40 of the middle period. Gabriel Colona (Philadelphia, Pa.) drove one from the point that was saved by SNHU goalie Tyler Holske. Hyslip picked up the rebound and pushed the puck past Holske, knotting the game at three. Joey Agliato (Hauppage, N.Y.) and Tyler Estee (Bow, N.H.) each picked up assists on the play. With the assist, Estee recorded his first career point.
SNHU burned off a 5-on-3 opportunity for the Hawks at the close of the second period, including a five-minute major. Neither team was able to net the puck past their respective goalies in the third period.
Dries and Robert Kang (Glen Rock, N.J.) stopped 15 shots, while Dries made five saves. Holske stopped 35 of the 38 shots he faced.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Feb. 9 when they travel to New England College in a 4 p.m. matchup. The next home game for the Hawks is Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. when they play host to Southern Maine. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/STAHawks) and following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/STAHawks).
