FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Carignan's Tally in Overtime Caps Off Wild Comeback
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Trailing by a 5-2 margin entering the third period of Saturday's Northeast-10 Conference Ice Hockey Championship game, Saint Anselm rattled off four-straight goals to stun Saint Michael's by a 6-5 score in overtime.
With the victory, Saint Anselm (17-9-1) claimed its 10th NE10 Tournament championship since the conference's inception in 1999. The Hawks finished their season having won eight-straight games, the second-longest streak in program history. It's the first-ever overtime win in the NE10 Championship game for Saint Anselm.
Junior forward Jeremy Carignan scored the game-winning goal for the Hawks at the 12:13 mark of overtime, capping a four-goal comeback for Saint Anselm and delivering a league title to the Hilltop. On the power play following a Saint Michael's boarding penalty, junior Kevin Curley worked the puck down low to freshman Alec Andreucci. Andreucci's nifty cross-crease pass found its way to the stick of Carignan, who partially fanned on the shot. The change-up shot looped over the glove hand of Saint Michael's netminder Chris Johnson and completed the comeback.
Saint Michael's crept out to a 2-0 lead after only 12-plus minutes of action as Eric Salzillo and Nic Hermary scored to put the visitors ahead in the early goings. The Purple Knights appeared to be clicking on all cylinders as eight different skaters had a point on just the two Saint Michael's tallies. Saint Anselm defenseman Liam O'Sullivan scored his third goal of the season, halving the Saint Michael's advantage with just under five minutes left in the opening stanza.
Curley tied the game at two shortly into the second period as a pass by Nick Gorski set up the scoring play. Carignan was on the receiving end of the hot pass from the point and a nifty spin move slid the puck across the crease to Curley, who buried the puck for his third marker of the season.
Andrew Olevitz, Paul McAuliffe and Sam Finkelstein struck for Saint Michael's across the next four minutes – Olevitz and McAuliffe scored only 13 seconds apart. The third Purple Knights goal, put home by Finkelstein after a fortunate carom off the end boards, was put home at 15:54 of the period.
Gorski's third goal of the season was the spark that the Saint Anselm offense needed. Gorski wristed a shot on net that got caught up in the stick of Johnson – the puck was aided home by a crashing Mike Ferraro, whose offensive pressure forced Johnson to fall backward into the goal.
Justin Longo's fourth goal of the season came at 11:38 of the third period, cutting the Hawks deficit to 5-4. Ferraro potted the equalizer only minutes after Longo's goal, knotting the game at five with 6:56 to go in regulation. An off-balance shot along the ice by Curley was deflected home by Ferraro, positioned at the top of the blue paint. Gorski earned his second assist of the afternoon on the play.
Senior Brenden Cain, making only his 12th career appearance for Saint Anselm in goal, was named Most Valuable Player of the NE10 Championship. Entering the game in the second period, Cain came off the bench to halt all 17 shots on net that he faced and backstopped the Hawks to the victory.
Johnson drew the loss, despite stopping 45 shots across 72:13 of action. The Hawks finished the game with a hefty 51-37 advantage in shots taken and put home two goals on three chances with the power play. The Purple Knights capitalized on one of their two opportunities with the extra skater.
2018 NE10 All-Championship Team
Cam Laughlin, Assumption
Brenden Cain, Saint Anselm
Nick Gorski, Saint Anselm
Jon Pallotta, Saint Anselm
Nathan Folce, Saint Michael's
Sam D'Antuono, Saint Michael's
Chris Moquin, Southern New Hampshire
NE10 Championship Most Valuable Player - Brenden Cain, Saint Anselm
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.