HENNIKER, N.H. - The Albertus Magnus College men's ice hockey team clinched its first New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) tournament berth in its final regular season game, as it defeated New England College, 5-4 on Saturday afternoon.
Sam Anderson (Calgary, Alberta) set the new program points record with two assists and Kyle Dann (Windham, N.H.) scored two second period goals for the Falcons in the win.
Tyler Ignazzitto (Bath, Ontario) had a goal and Zane Kindrachuk (Calgary, Alberta) and Andrew Van Antwerp (Petoskey, Mich.) each had a goal and an assist.
The Falcons clinched the eighth seed in the tournament, and will take on back-to-back defending Division III National Champions and No. 1 Hobart College on Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. on the road.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 5 | New England College 4
RECORDS: Albertus (12-12-1, 9-10-1 NEHC) | New England College (10-14-1, 9-10-1 NEHC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The scoring started at the 3:03 mark in the first for Albertus as Kindrachuk found Ignazzitto on the right post with a pass. Ignazzitto was able to put it home for a power-play goal to make it a 1-0 game. Anderson also had an assist on the goal. At the time, the goal by Ignazzitto and the assist by Anderson both set a new mark for career points with 76, surpassing Cameron Weitzman.
- Anderson set the new program mark of 77 points in a career later in the first period as his shot was rebounded by Kindrachuk, who scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season to make it a 2-0 game at 13:47.
- NEC got one back on a goal from Graham Padgitt with less than a minute remaining in the first period as Albertus led 2-1 at the first intermission.
- The Pilgrims took their first lead in the second period as they scored two power play goals which gave them a 3-2 lead. Egor Osipik tied the game as he took a pass from Jesper Tarkiainen and stuffed it in the net at the 2:40 mark. At the 12:49 mark of the second, Gunnar Sibley scored as he poked in a rebound after a one-timer from Tarkiainen was initially stopped by Albertus goaltender, Chace Hale (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
- At 15:28, Dann scored the first of his two goals in the period as he put home a loose puck after a shot by Paden Hicks (Kansas City, Mo.) to tie the game, 3-3.
- Just 66 seconds later, Dann gave the Falcons their second lead of the game as he took a pass from Connor Bertamini (Calgary, Alberta) just past center ice and weaved through two defenders to go top shelf past NEC goaltender, Anthony Beaulieu to make it a 4-3 game. It was Dann's sixth goal of the season.
- In the third, Van Antwerp scored his third of the season at the 8:45 mark to take a 5-3 lead flung the puck from the blue line to keep play in the offensive zone and it found its way into the net past Beaulieu.
- NEC added one more goal from Osipik with less than a minute left, but Albertus was able to hold onto the win.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Albertus
Chace Hale (W, 7-7-0) 25 Shots on Goal | 21 Saves | 4 Goals Allowed
NEC
Anthony Beaulieu (L, 10-12-1) 23 Shots on Goal | 18 Saves | 5 Goals Allowed
TEAM STATS
Power-Play Goals/Opportunities
Albertus 1/3 | NEC 2/7
Penalties/Minutes
Albertus 8/16 | NEC 4/8
Faceoffs Won
Albertus 36 | NEC 38
NOTEWORTHY
Anderson has registered a point in five of his last six games. It was also his 100th game played.
