Withers Scores Game Winner at 3:32 of OT

            GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomore Adam Withers (Kenora, Ontario) scored his second goal of the game at 3:32 of sudden-death overtime to give the University of Southern Maine men's ice hockey a thrilling, 3-2 victory over third-ranked Hobart College in New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) action Saturday at the USM Ice Arena.

            The win was the Huskies' first ever against the Statesmen in seven tries, and lifts their record to 3-6-2 overall and 3-4-1 in NEHC play.  The Huskies are 3-1-2 in their last six games.  The Statesmen, ranked third in this week's USCHO Division III poll, dropped their second straight game to fall to 6-3-1 overall and 3-3-0 in conference play.  The two sides will meet again at Hobart on February 7.

            In overtime, Withers was camped out at the left post when the rebound of a shot from sophomore Bobby Kinsey (Leechburg, Pa.) was blocked in front and settled onto his stick.  Withers stuffed the puck inside the post past Hobart sophomore goalie Joe Halstrom (Fort Collins, Colo.) for his third goal of the season.  Kinsey and sophomore Brendan Dowler (New Preston, Conn.) earned the assists.

            Withers tied the game at 2-2 at 10:45 the second period when he intercepted a pass in his own zone and went the length of the ice on a breakaway against Halstrom.  The second-year center snapped off a laser to the top right corner from 20 feet out at 10:45 to even the score.

            The Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the opening period when senior Ethan Bassile (Scarborough, Maine) converted a feed from junior Maverick Lynes (Sherwood Park, Alberta) in tight for his second goal of the season.  Rookie Tanner McClure (Buxton, Maine) picked up the second assist.

            Hobart got even early in the second period when junior Andrew Longo (Morristown, N.J.) stole the puck inside the USM zone, wheeled to the middle and beat junior goalie Anthony D'Aloisio (Frisco, Texas) for an unassisted power-play goal at 1:53.  Less than six minute had elapsed when the Statesmen took a 2-1 lead as sophomore Aaron Maguyon (Margate City, N.J.) converted a feed from senior Lawson MacDougall (Williamstown, Ontario) for his fourth marker of the season.

            D'Aloisio had a big hand in the win for USM stopping 32 shots, including all 12 in the first period, and 10 in a scoreless third period.  Halstrom finished with 21 saves.

            Hobart piled up a 34-24 advantage in shots on goal, and was 1 for 4 on the power play.  USM was 0 for 5 with the man advantage.

            Southern Maine is off until January 5th (4 p.m.) when it hosts Bowdoin College for a non-conference game.  Hobart returns home to host nationally-ranked Trinity College on Wednesday (7 p.m.) for a non-conference game.

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