GORHAM, Maine -- Senior Jeff Armando (Canton, Mass.) scored his second goal of the game midway through the third period to snap a 4-4 tie and New England College went on to defeat the University of Southern Maine, 6-4, in a non-conference men's ice hockey game Saturday night at the USM Ice Arena.
The win was the first of the season for the Pilgrims who now stand at 1-1-1. The Huskies dropped their third straight game to slide to 1-3-0.
Armando led the high-powered NEC attack with two goals and an assist. Senior Mark Ehl (North Vancouver, B.C.) also had two goals and reached the 100-career point plateau with his empty-net goal with 42 seconds to play. Sophomore goalie Connor Sampson (Whitby, Ontario), making his first start of the season, registered 22 saves. Sampson also stopped a penalty shot in the second period.
Senior Pat Noonan (Burlington, Mass.) had two goals for USM. Sophomore netminder Mason St. Hilaire (Saco, Maine) made 45 saves before being lifted in the final minute in favor of the extra attacker.
Armando redirected a shot taken from the blue line by senior Trevor Turner (Westbank, B.C.) past St. Hilaire at 11:43 to break the 4-4 deadlock. Ehl added his empty-net tally, unassisted, in the final minute after breaking up the USM attack at the NEC blue line.
Southern Maine jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening 6:13 on goals by junior Jon Rutt (Scarborough, Maine) and Noonan. NEC came back with three straight goals before the end of the period to take a 3-2 lead into the locker room. Armando, Ehl and senior Jon Globke (West Bloomfield, Mich.) found the net for the Pilgrims.
Junior Zach Joy (Dover, N.H.) tied the game for USM with his sixth goal of the season early in the second period. Senior Alex Muse (Lynnfield, Mass.) restored the Pilgrims' one-goal lead two minutes later. Noonan scored his second goal at 16:36 to tie the game at 4-4.
Southern Maine returns to action on Friday (7:00 p.m.) at Middlebury College. New England College hosts Tufts University on Friday (7:00 p.m.).
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