BEVERLY, Mass. — Endicott senior winger Jimmy McIsaac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Semifinals on Saturday evening to lift the Gulls over the University of New England (UNE), 3-2, in overtime at Raymond J. Bourque Arena.
McIsaac tied up the contest at 2-2 with 26 seconds to play in regulation with the extra skater when he one-timed home a cross-ice pass from Cass Bowes (Sturgeon County, Alberta) at the left post, sending the capacity crowd into a frenzy.
The senior winger came up clutch once again at the 9:27 mark of overtime by converting a failed clearance along the left wing boards into his first career game-winner.
McIsaac pounced on the loose puck just above the faceoff circle and rifled a low wrist shot blocker side past UNE's goalie to punch Endicott's ticket to the CCC Championship.
Kevin Craig (Hyannis, Mass.) provided the Gulls' first goal of the contest at 15:41 of the third (power play) to even the score at 1-1.
Craig netted an eerily similar tally to McIsaac's game-tying marker off a rebound at the left post, once again coming from Bowes on the opposite end of the net.
Atticus Kelly (St. Paul, Minn.) made 37 saves to improve to 8-3-3 overall (20-3-5 career). One of those stops came on a penalty shot at 17:04 of the second period. Kelly turned away a backhanded toe drag at the left post to keep the game scoreless, at the time.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Gulls evened up the all-time playoff series against UNE at 2-2 (both wins at home; CCC Championship, 5-4, 3/4/2017).
- Endicott is 9-2-3 at Bourque Arena this season.
- Bowes has compiled four goals (1 GTG) and two assists (both primary) in the CCC Semifinals during his career for the Gulls.
- Tonight's game felt reminiscent of the 2021-22 CCC Championship in which UNE defeated the Gulls, 3-2, in overtime. The Nor'easters scored at the 19:11 mark of the third with help from the extra skater before potting the game-winner 3:36 into the overtime session.
WHAT'S NEXT
Second-seeded Endicott (16-5-5) will host No. 4 Salve Regina in the CCC Championship on Saturday, March 2 at 2 PM.
Third-seeded UNE (17-6-4) awaits a potential at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The selection show takes place on Monday, March 4 at 10 AM on NCAA.com.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)
