WNEC scores empty net goal in OT to stun Seahawks, 6-5

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. - Freshman Anthony Willett (Springfield, Mass.) scored his second goal of the game with three seconds remaining in overtime to lift Western New England College to a 6-5 win over Salve Regina University in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast action Sunday afternoon at Portsmouth Abbey Arena.

Sophomore Kory Grahl (San Diego, Calif.) also scored twice and added an assist for the Golden Bears, who improved to 3-18-1 (2-10-0 ECAC) by virtue of the second win over the Seahawks this season. Senior Tyler Trott (Rehoboth, Mass.) scored twice for Salve Regina, which fell to 1-21-1 (0-11-1 ECAC) on the season.

Needing a win to move past WNEC and into seventh place in the standings with one week remaining in the regular season, Salve Regina pulled senior goalie Ryan Comerford (Merrimack, N.H.) for an extra attacker for its offensive zone draw with 10 seconds remaining in overtime. Down two skaters by virtue of an interference penalty on senior Joe Trimboli (Las Vegas, Nev.), the Golden Bears won the draw forward, and a pass by Grahl sent Willett down the right side of the ice. After crossing the red line, Willett slid a slot along the ice and into the empty net to send Western New England home with two points.

"We didn't get it done when we had the chance to get it done. We shouldn't have been in the position we were in," said Salve Regina head coach Andy LeColst. "We leave here with one point, and they're still ahead of us and we go play the number one seed when it's all said and done. It's a tough call, but it had to be made. We let three guys skate past us on the last faceoff."

Senior Kevin Sullivan (North Branford, Conn.) gave the Seahawks a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the season at 6:03 of the opening stanza. Grahl's ninth tally of the season at 17:00 evened the score at one going into the first intermission. The Golden Bears outshot the Seahawks 19-10 through the first 20 minutes.

Willett's sixth goal of the season 41 seconds into the second gave WNEC a 3-1 lead, and Grahl's second of the afternoon and 10th of the year at 5:00 stretched the lead to 3-1. Trott converted a pass from Sullivan at 11:10 to get the Seahawks back to within a goal at 3-2 heading to the third. The Seahawks controlled the majority of play in the second, outshooting the Golden Bears 14-3.

In the third, Trimboli put Western New England back in front with his second of the season at 3:42. Salve Regina rallied back for three unanswered goals to grab a 5-4 lead with just over 10 minutes left in the third. Junior Ryan Petersen's (Shrewsbury, N.J.) third of the season at 5:37 cut the deficit to one at 4-3, and Trott's sixth of the season at 8:25 tied the game at four. Just 43 seconds later, classmate Billy Sabia (Ridgefield, Conn.) took a pass from Petersen and potted his first of the season to give the Seahawks a 5-4 lead. Fifteen seconds after Sabia's tally, Western New England senior Michael St. Lawrence (Holyoke, Mass.) tied the game at five with his fourth of the season.

Freshman T.J. Fatse (Hampden, Mass.) made 35 saves to improve to 2-8-0 on the season while Comerford stopped 31 shots. The Seahawks converted on three of their four power play chances while WNEC was 1-for-4 with the extra attacker. Salve Regina outshot the Golden Bears 40-37 on the afternoon.

The Seahawks return to action on Wednesday when they host Wentworth at 7:15 p.m. The Golden Bears host Nichols Thursday at 7:25 p.m.