(Courtesy of Salem State University Sports Information)

            SALEM, Mass. -- The Salem State University Vikings returned to Rockett Arena on Saturday afternoon and earned a hard-fought, 5-3 decision over the Huskies of the University of Southern Maine (5-7-0).

            The game was even until the Vikings (6-4-1) pulled away scoring three times in the third period to win for the fourth time out of their past five contests.  The Huskies dropped their fifth decision in their last six outings.

            The Huskies struck first when junior Troy Thibodeau's (Danvers, Mass.) shot clinked off the post and into the net just over four minutes into the game.  Junior Angelo Vrachnas (St. James, N.Y.) and freshman Alex Pompeo (Hingham, Mass.) were credited with the assists.

            Salem State responded late in the period when the Vikings countered with a wrap-around goal by sophomore Kristofer Faric (Whitby, Ontario) from an assist by junior Mark Macdonald (Norwell, Mass.).

            Salem State made it a 2-1 score in the second period when junior Kyle Phelan (Barnstable, Mass.) tipped rookie Andrew Bucci's (Peabody, Mass.) shot into the top of the net.  However, the Huskies tied the game with rookie Garret White's (Wakefield, Mass.) goal with another assist from Pompeo to tie the game at 2-2 before the intermission.

            Salem State pulled away in the third period with three straight scores to build a 5-2 lead.  The Vikings took the lead for good just 1:03 into the period when sophomore Chad Goodwin (Whitinsville, Mass.) chipped in the rebound of freshman Andrew Bettencourt's (Riverside, R.I.) shot.  The Vikings added another goal at the 8:58 mark when senior Matt Kenline's (Yarmouth, Mass.) wrist shot hit the back of the net.  Macdonald and freshman Stephen McManus (Westwood, Mass.) were credited with the assists.  Seventy seconds later, Goodwin notched his second goal of the period.

            Southern Maine freshman Daniel Matteson (Uppsala, Sweden) scored an unassisted power-play goal with 5:02 to play for the 5-3 final.

            Salem State junior Ryan Sutliffe (Grand Forks, N.D.) stopped 31 shots to earn the win while Southern Maine freshman Patrick Farrington (Sandwich, Mass.) had 23 saves in defeat.

            The Vikings play at home again on Tuesday night (7:00 p.m.) against New England College. The Huskies also take the ice again on Tuesday night (7:00 p.m.) at Colby College.