By Staff Writer Sara Vasquez
The Corsair hockey team suffered back-to-back losses this past week, putting their previously hot start to the season in jeopardy.
The first of two losses came against Worcester State, where, despite a long game of offensive back-and-forth, the Corsairs fell at a final score of 5-3.
The Corsairs led at the end of the first period 3-2, with goals from Dillion Radin, Josh Vertentes, and Kai Kapossy. The Corsairs kept pressure on the Lancer net with 38 shots on goal, outshooting the Lancers of Worchester State, who had only managed 29 shots on goal. UMassD only had 3 penalties, all of which minors, accounting for just 6 total minutes short-handed. The Lancers dominated the circle on face offs, leading the Corsairs 36 to 27. Both teams went scoreless in 5-on-4 situations, each going 0 for 5 on power plays.
The Corsairs’ second game of the week, against Franklin Pierce, saw the team suffering their third loss of the season at a final score of 4-2.
In their home opener, the Corsairs led 1-0 at the end of the first period, with a goal late in the period from Michael Perrone. The Ravens tied things up in the second period with a goal of their own from Chris Stevenson. However, the Corsairs eventually fell to the Ravens, only scoring once more in the third, this time from Austin Miller. While the UMassD offense struggled, the Ravens notched three additional goals on top of them.
The Ravens marginally led the Corsairs in shots on goal, 27 to 26, and led at the circle with 40 face offs won, against 37 from the Corsairs. The Ravens only accumulated 8 penalties, resulting in 16 total minutes of short-handed play, while the Corsairs accumulated 10 penalties, spending a total of 31 minutes in the box. Where UMassD struggled in power play production and went 0 for 6 when at a player advantage, Franklin Pierce capitalized on a Corsair spending nearly half of regulation in the penalty box, scoring two power play goals in 7 opportunities. The Corsairs fell short to the Ravens, 4-2.
Where the Corsairs had once thrived through their season-openers and accrued a single overtime loss, the team has now sunk back down toward .500. Despite the young season, whatever momentum had been carrying UMassD through triumphant blowouts and close edging-outs of competent teams has vanished within a week.
Certainly looking to bounce back, the Corsairs’ next week of games will see them facing off against Salem State and Plymouth State on home ice.