HENNIKER, N.H. -- The New England College men's ice hockey team used a four-goal second period, including three goals in a span of 70 seconds, to hold off the visiting University of Southern Maine Huskies, 6-4, in ECAC Men's East action Friday evening at Lee Clement Arena.

            The Pilgrims picked up their third win in the last four games to improve to 9-4-0 overall and 5-3-0 in league play.  The Huskies, winless in their last seven games (0-4-3), slip to 4-7-3 overall and 3-5-0 in the league.

            After playing to a 2-2 tie after the first period, the Pilgrims exploded for four goals over the final seven minutes in the middle period to assume a commanding 6-2 lead.  The Huskies closed the gap to 6-4 in the third period with more than eight minutes to play, but the Pilgrims held on for the win.

            Sophomore Garrett Brazzier (Mississauga, Ont.) snapped the 2-2 tie at 13:52 of the second period with his sixth goal of the season.  The Pilgrims exploded for three goals within a span of 70 seconds to increase their advantage to 6-2 before the period ended.

            Sophomore Kyle Manlow (Murretta, Calif.) tallied a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 18:31 to make it 4-2.  Senior Ben McLaughlin (Beverly, Mass.) followed 41 seconds later with another power-play goal that proved to be the game winner, and senior Matt Abbott (Kirkland, Que.) closed the outburst with his first goal of the season at 19:41.

            Southern Maine mounted a comeback in the final period as sophomores Zach Dymock (Dutton, Ont.) and Pier-Michel Lapointe (St. Georges, Que.) scored goals 1:24 apart midway through the period.  Dymock potted the rebound of a shot from classmate Bob Ganley (Weymouth, Mass.) at 9:54 while Lapointe slapped home a set up from senior Jamie Osborne (Grand Lake, N.S.) and junior Brad McGovern (Haverhill, Mass.) at 11:18.

            In the opening period, USM grabbed a 1-0 lead at 5:44 as freshman Sam Blanchet (Laurier-Station, Que.) scored his third goal of the season off an assist from McGovern.  Manlow tied the score at 14:25 with the first of his two goals.

            Sophomore Alex Pompeo (Hingham, Mass.) restored the Huskies' lead 13 second later converting from Ganley and Dymock.  Junior James O'Reilly (Charleston, S.C.) evened the score in the final minute with his second goal of the season.

            NEC senior goalie Sebastian Anderson (Sundyberg, Sweden) picked up his seventh win of the season making 31 saves.  Sophomores Josh Hillegas (Middleton, Wis.) and Michael Gendreau (Medford, Mass.) combined to stop 19 shots for USM.

            Senior Samuli Turunen (Joensuu, Finland) paced the Pilgrims' offense with three assists.  Manlow had two goals, and rookie Scott Cornfield (Brea, Calif.) picked up two assists.  Dymock had a goal and an assist for the Huskies.  McGovern and Ganley each had two assists.

            Southern Maine travels to Saint Anselm College on Saturday (3:00 p.m.).  NEC will host the University of New England on Saturday (4:00 p.m.). 

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