by Sports Editor Tom Griffin
Following an overtime loss to the out-of-conference Stonehill Skyhawks, the Corsairs began a hopeful sweeping of MASCAC with an 8-1 lashing of Framingham State Rams.
The first matchup, while not as important to future postseason hopes, was fought for spiritedly by the blue and gold, with the two teams meeting each other pound-for-pound from start to finish. A power play goal for Stonehill to end the first period was answered almost immediately into the second by Steven Leonard on the power play. Two Stonehill goals to round out the end of the second and beginning of the third were tied up by Leonard and Cameron Mack after an arduous final period.
Comparatively, the Corsairs were the far more refined of the two teams. Keeping time spent in the penalty box to the minimum (12 minutes as opposed to Stonehill’s 16) and keeping pressure on the Skyhawk netminder, the Corsairs substantially outshot their Stonehill adversaries by 15 through regulation.
The winning goal, off of three Skyhawk rebounds, snuck by UMassD goalie Daniel Davidson after having gotten lost amidst defenders. Davidson had otherwise been reliable after a busy day in net, coming up with 21 saves.
The only offensive shortcomings of note for UMassD were an inability to score and a subpar power play. Both teams struggled in the 5-on-4, capitalizing on one series of six each.
The Corsairs quickly rebounded from their season-opening loss by steamrolling Framingham State to start their MASCAC campaign 1-0. The eight-goal beatdown brought about by the Corsairs included a hat trick by senior Cameron Mack, three straight shorthanded goals, and, while up by four, three additional goals in the third period just to make their desire to win clear.
What the Corsairs lacked in discipline this time around, they made up for in raw talent. Attributing to their three shorthanded goals, a Corsair was in the box for nearly half of regulation, cooling off for 24 minutes on eight total penalties.
While UMassD spent over a period playing with four skaters, all 7 Ram power plays came up empty, and all 28 of the Rams’ shots failed to break the crease. Sophomore goaltender Chris Stangarone, in his first 60-minute outing of the season, played a near-perfect, 27-save game.
Starting out at 1-1 overall, and undefeated in-conference thus far, the Corsairs continue their pursuit of playoffs against Worcester State and Franklin Pierce.