Falcons Rally Past Corsairs In Overtime

Fortin nets game winner with just 30 seconds remaining

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State ice hockey team defeated the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth, 4-3 in overtime this evening in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from the Wallace Civic Center.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 4, UMass Dartmouth 3
Records: Fitchburg State (15-5-0, 13-3-0 MASCAC) I UMass Dartmouth (8-11-1, 5-8-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened 

UMass Dartmouth grabbed a 1-0 edge 14:07 into the opening period when sophomore Michael Mania (Bayville, N.J.) collected a feed from junior Kai Kapossey (Franklin, Tex.) and graduate  Dillon Radin (Long Beach, N.Y.) and tucked a shot inside the near post for his eighth tally on the season.

In the middle stanza, Fitchburg State knotted the score 1-1 just 1:45 into the frame as senior Adam Kusior (Tecumseh, Ont.) rang on of the iron and into the back of the net for his first marker of the year with assists from juniors Anthony Ceolin (Simsbury, Conn.) and Hunter Fortin (Westerville, Ohio).

The Corsairs regained the lead at the 5:42 mark with graduate student Melker Kroon (Malmo, Sweden) deposited a shot into the left side of the net for his sixth goal of the 2021-22 campaign off an assist from Radin.

The Falcons retied the contest at 2-2 when freshman Zackery Diamont (Billerica, Mass.) skated in all alone on UMass Dartmouth keeper Parker Butler (Summit, N.J.) and proceeded to convert the breakaway attempt for his tenth marker of the season.to make the 3-2.

In the final period, Fitchburg State broke the 2-2 stalemate seven and half minutes into the period when freshman Oliver Cookson (Sheffield, Mass.) redirected a shot off the stick of senior Jordin Holmes (Willow Grove, Penn.) into the back of the net for his third score on the season.

UMass Dartmouth knotted the score (3-3) four minutes later as senior Derek Britner (Salem, N.H.) received a pass from Radin and wristed a shot into the right side of the net for his third goal of the year.

In the overtime period, the Green and Gold secured the victory with Fortin blasting a shot from the top of the key that managed to hop over Butler's right shoulder and into the back of the net for his 13th marker on the year off assists from Ceolin and junior Joshua Miller (Saint Augustine, Fla.) for the game winner, resulting in the 4-3 final.

By the Numbers

• 85th meeting between the Falcons and Corsairs on the ice with Fitchburg State 34-43-8 all time when taking on UMass Dartmouth
• UMass Dartmouth finished with a 32-26 edge in shots
• Fitchburg State went 1-for-5 with the man advantage
• Senior Brian McGrath (Worcester, Mass.) turned aside 29 shots for the Falcons
• Butler stopped 22 shots for the Corsairs

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Saturday as they host the Amcats of Anna Maria in non-conference action, starting at 5:00 PM. Corsairs will travel to Salem State on the same day for a MASCAC matchup with the Vikings at 4:00 PM.