GORHAM, Maine -- Senior Johan Qvarfordt (Sodertalje, Sweden) tipped home his second goal of the game with 36 seconds remaining in regulation to give the visiting New England College Pilgrims a 3-3 overtime tie with the University of Southern Maine Huskies in an ECAC Men's East game at the USM Ice Arena Friday evening.

            The tie leaves the teams separated by one point in the standings heading into Saturday's regular season finale.  The Huskies are 9-10-5 overall and 7-7-3 (17 points) in the league.  The Pilgrims are also 9-10-5 overall and 6-7-4 (16 points) in league play.  The teams tied both meetings this season having played to a 2-2 draw at NEC on January 14.

            With junior goaltender Shawn Sirman (Blezard Valley, Ontario) pulled in favor of the extra attacker, Qvarfordt redirected a shot by senior Jarkko Leppanen (Tampere, Finland) past USM sophomore goalie Braely Torris (Eckville, Alberta) for the tying goal.  The goal was the 11th of the season for Qvarfordt.

            The Pilgrims had the best scoring opportunity in the five-minute extra session, but senior Niko Uola's (Turku, Finland) from the left-wing circle rang off the cross bar.

            Southern Maine took a 3-2 lead at 6:30 of the third period when freshman Matt Tucceri (Kennebunk, Maine) put a shot past Sirman's left foot and just inside the far post for his fourth goal of the season.  NEC had tied the game at 1:10 of the third period on Qvarfordt's first goal, a power-play marker coming on the rebound of Uola's initial drive that was stopped by Torris.

            The visitors tallied the only goal of the fast-paced first period that saw each side put 10 shots on goal.  Rookie Andre Stalberg (Alingsas, Sweden) fired a shot from the right-wing circle that handcuffed Torris for his first collegiate goal.

            Freshman Lorne Miller (Montreal, Quebec) tied the game at 11:49 of the second period with a nifty individual effort.  The Huskies took their first lead at 17:41 as junior David Nies (Brookline, Mass.) beat Sirman over the right shoulder.

            Torris finished the game registering 28 stops while Sirman was credited with 23 saves.  Miller picked up an assist on Tucceri's goal, and sophomore Kody Collins (Keswick, Ontario) earned a pair of assists for the Huskies.  Junior Jonathan Boxill (Bracknell, England) had a pair of assists for NEC.

            Southern Maine closes the regular season tomorrow afternoon (4:00 p.m.) hosting Saint Anselm College.  New England College finishes the season visiting the University of New England on Saturday (4:00 p.m.).

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