Nov. 1, 2008
HAMILTON, Mass. - Senior forward Chris Linnehan (East Longmeadow, Mass.) scored the game-winner with just 3:19 left in overtime to help lift 12th-ranked Endicott past No. 3 Bryant, 5-4, on Saturday evening in Hamilton, Mass. The Gulls had eight players notch at least in a point in the win.
The two teams entered the first intermission locked in a 1-1 tie. Bryant got the scoring started as Steve Siek (Holderness, N.H.) found the back of the net midway through the opening period. Endicott's Greg Dorman (Merrimack, N.H.) countered just six minutes later as he notched a tally off assists from Matthew Zimmerman (South Glastonbury, Conn.) and Patrick Kennedy (Weymouth, Mass.).
The Bulldogs made it a 2-1 game 12:07 into the second period as Erik Holmberg (Nashua, N.H.) made the Gulls pay on the power play, beating Matthew Murray (Billerica, Mass.) off an assist from Joe Fusco (Enfield, Conn.). Endicott's Gary DeAsi (Ridgefield, Conn.) kept the see-saw game alive as he fired back with an Endicott goal to keep the game tied at 2-2, after two.
It seemed only fitting that a wild third period would end in a stalemate, sending the two teams into overtime. Bryant started the period with back-to-back goals from Joe Fusco, giving the visitors a 4-2 lead. Endicott countered with Zimmerman's second point of the night off an assist from Chris Linnehan with just 2:51 left in regulation. The heroics were not done yet, however, as freshman Christopher Delande buried the equalizer off assists from DeAsi and Nick Colby (Salisbury, Mass.) with 2:05 showing on the clock to send the game into the bonus session.
With all the momentum on its side, Endicott put the game away as Linnehan beat Jon Stachelek (Middleton, Mass.) off a feed from Mike Vacca (North Reading, Mass.) to lift the Gulls to a 5-4 win. The overtime goal came with just 3:19 left, awarding Endicott two hard fought points.
Endicott got a goal and an assist from DeAsi, Delande, Zimmerman and Linnehan. Nick Colby had a pair of helpers in the OT win. Junior Matthew Murray made 34 saves in the victory against the Bulldogs.
Endicott returns to action on Wednesday evening as it travels to Biddeford, Maine for a match-up with the Nor'easters of the University of New England. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Biddeford Ice Arena.
