Providence Steals Win From UMass In Overtime

Providence College Press Release

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Trailing by a goal in the final moments of regulation, co-captains Ross Mauermann and Noel Acciari propelled the No. 12 Providence College men’s hockey team to a dramatic 3-2 overtime win against the University of Massachusetts Minutemen on Friday night at Schneider Arena (2,445). 

Mauermann (Janesville, Wis.) tied the game for Providence (19-10-2, 11-7-1 HEA) with eight seconds remaining in the third period as he followed up on a rebound from a shot by junior Mark Jankowski (Dundas, Ontario) to force overtime. Nick Saracino (St. Louis, Mo.) also assisted on the play. 

In overtime, Acciari (Johnston, R.I.) capped off the victory when he tallied his fourth career game-winning goal for the Friars over Massachusetts (9-20-2, 4-15-1 HEA). Acciari’s goal came off a play with senior Shane Luke (Dauphin, Manitoba) and Saracino from right outside the UMass (9-20-2, 4-15-1HEA) goal crease. 

UMass took the game’s first lead at 7:27 of the first period when Shane Walsh scored a goal off the rush to beat Providence netminder junior Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine). Dominic Trento and Ben Gallacher each recorded assists on the play. 

Junior Brandon Tanev (Toronto, Ontario) evened the score at 10:52 of the first period when he notched his seventh goal of the season following an offensive zone face-off. Acciari won the face-off and managed to get the puck to his linemate Tanev. Tanev’s quick shot from the circle eluded Minutemen goaltender Steve Mastalerz to tie the game.

At 14:54 of the first, the Minutemen regained the lead when Zack LaRue was credited with an unassisted goal when he forced a turnover past Gillies from just outside the goal crease. 

It looked as though the Friars had once again tied the game midway through the third when junior Brooks Behling (Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored. After an individual rush up the ice, Behling fired a shot on goal that was stopped by Mastalerz but the rebound darted out directly to Behling, who then beat Mastalerz. After a video review, the call on the ice was overturned (goaltender interference). 

In the closing seconds of the third period, the Friars were skating with an extra attacker. Mauermann began the game-tying play when he sent a pass to junior Mark Jankowski (Dundas, Ontario). Jankowski’s shot went on goal, with Mastalerz making the stop. The rebound hit off Saracino and fell to Mauermann, who was stationed right outside the Minutemen goal post and he then knocked the rebound behind Mastalerz at 19:52 for his 10th goal of the season. 

The Friars took the momentum into overtime and at 1:54 completed the comeback when Acciari netted the puck following a wild sequence in front of the UMass goal. Acciari made a play to keep the puck in the offensive zone and connected a pass to Shane Luke (Dauphin, Manitoba), who was open right outside the crease. Luke slid the puck behind Mastalerz’s skate and through the crease to Saracino, who batted the puck towards the net while falling down. Acciari skated back in on the play to help Saracino’s shot cross the goal line for the Providence win. 

Providence outshot the Minutemen by a margin of 43-25, including 14-3 in the third period. Gillies made 23 saves for the Friars to earn the win, while Mastalerz stopped 40 of the 43 Friar shots he faced for UMass. Both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play. 

The Friars and Minutemen close out their regular-season series at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass.