CAM BLECK'S GAME-WINNING GOAL | CCC CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION
BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott sophomore forward Cam Bleck (Lake Forest, Ill.) sniped a wrister into the top right corner of the net with 8.7-seconds remaining in regulation to lift the top-seeded Gulls past fifth-seeded University of New England (UNE) by a 5-4 score in the inaugural Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Men's Ice Hockey Championship on Saturday night at Raymond J. Bourque Arena.
With the win, No. 7/9 nationally ranked Endicott (23-3-2) has earned the CCC's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship. The Gulls will learn who their first round opponent is on Monday, March 6 at 10:30 AM via the NCAA.com selection show. Meanwhile, with the loss, UNE's season comes to a close at 15-10-2.
Saturday's inaugural CCC championship went back-and-forth from the very beginning as both teams exchanged goals all the way up until Bleck's game-winner with 8.7-seconds to play in the contest.
Gulls' freshman forward Brendan Shane (Rochester, N.Y.) opened up the scoring with his third tally of the season on a one-timer from the slot at 2:29 of the first period, while Ryan Bloom (Northville, Mich.) eventually answered for the Nor'easters at 12:26. The two team's then alternated goals once again in the stanza as Joseph Slovak (South Yarmouth, Mass.) made it 2-1 at 14:23 and Tucker Ross (Ashburn, Va.) found the equalizer at 18:29.
The same story line repeated itself in the second as Jack Musil (Hull, England) scored for Endicott at 12:58 before Danny Antonoff (Bedford, Mass.) stymied the Gulls' momentum less than five minutes later (16:49) to even the score at 3-3 headed into the break.
In the third, Bleck put Endicott ahead in quick fashion with his 20th of the season at the 3:52 mark, but a diving redirection goal near the left post by Dylan Bengston (Coral Springs, Fla.) at 11:52 set up Bleck's heroics in the final moments of the matchup.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The all-time series is now tied at 1-1-1 after today's result.
- Kevin Aldridge (Birmingham, Mich.) made 24 saves in the win (20-3-2).
- Endicott extended its winning streak to 11 straight games.
- The Gulls avenged an earlier loss to UNE this season at home that saw the Nor'easters score with 3.3-seconds left in overtime.
- Frank Spellman (Des Moines, Iowa), Jason Kalinowski (Stamford, Conn.), John Carricato (Ridge, N.Y.), and Tommy Besinger (Milton, Mass.) all had two assists each in the victory.
FOR THE FOES
- UNE's No. 1 nationally ranked power play did not disappoint as the Nor'easters went 2-for-2 with the man-advantage.
- The Nor'easters also held Endicott – who is ranked No. 2 in the country on the power play – to an 0-for-4 showing on the night.
- Antonoff led UNE with a three-point night (one goal, two assists).
- Payton Porter (Houlton, Maine) stopped a game-high 44 shots in the loss (5-1-0).
WHAT'S NEXT
No. 7/9 nationally ranked Endicott (23-3-2) has earned the CCC's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship. The Gulls will learn who their first round opponent is on Monday, March 6 at 10:30 AM via the NCAA.com selection show. Meanwhile, with the loss, UNE's season comes to a close at 15-10-2. For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
