With 30.7 seconds left in overtime, Jared Christy scored the game-winner as third-seeded University of New England defeated sixth-seed Wentworth in the first round of the 2023 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Men’s Ice Hockey Championship on Wednesday at the Harold Alfond Forum.
The deciding play developed after extending zone time, with Noah Szretter dumping it down the wall to Jake Fuss, who curled back up the boards and whipped the puck to a charging Christy in front of the net to poke it home.
The victory sends the Nor’easters (19-5-2) and their 11-game unbeaten streak into the semifinals on Saturday against second-seed Curry at 3 p.m.
Nolan Lowe had nearly won it for the Leopards (6-19-1) early in overtime, but his shot from the point ricocheted off the pipe.
UNE played from behind for most of the night as Ian Worthley scored 5:12 into the game to give Wentworth a 1-0 lead, which stood through the first intermission.
Daniel Winslow tied the game for UNE with a power play goal at the 10:51 mark of the second period. Collin Heinold and Logan DiScanio assisted on the score. Charlie Reid redirected in a shot from Matt Smoliga 2:30 later to give the visitors the lead once again (2-1). However, that edge didn’t last long as Ryan Kuzmich redirected a blast off the stick Christy inside the right post with 7:31 left in the second to tie the game at 2-2.
UNE dominated the puck in the third period, like it had done all day, to a tune of a 16-5 shot advantage, but could not get it past Wentworth goaltender Jack McGovern. McGovern finished the day with 65 saves to keep the Leopards in the game.
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