Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England Nor'easters and New England College Pilgrims played to a 3-3 overtime tie in an ECAC East men's ice hockey game Saturday afternoon (Jan. 10) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Nor'easters now stand at 4-9-1 overall on the season and 2-6-1 in league play. The Pilgrims are 4-7-3 overall, 3-5-1 in ECAC East action.

Neither team led by more than a goal at any time on the day. UNE opened the scoring just 0:17 into the tilt when junior Ryan Quinn came up with a NEC turnover right in front of the cage and pushed the puck in to give Big Blue an early 1-0 advantage.

The Pilgrims drew even at the 5:29 mark when senior Andre Stalberg went near post with a slap shot from the top of the right circle off assists from first-year Andrew Price and senior James O'Reilly.

Junior Ben Pearl gave the Nor'easters a 2-1 lead at 15:53 of the first. Pearl cleaned up a rebound off a shot from the point by junior Cassidy April. Senior Jared Melman was credited with a secondary assist.

NEC would tally the lone goal of the middle period when first-year Bryce Nielsen rattled a slap shot from the left point off the right pipe and into the cage to make the score 2-2 at the 15:30 mark. Sophomore Shawn Watson set-up the goal.

Pearl gave UNE a 3-2 advantage 4:35 into the third, one-timing a slap shot from the high slot after senior captain Zeth Zielinski had won the draw in the NEC defensive zone.

The Nor'easters' lead was short-lived, however, as first-year Joe Osaka found senior Andreas Persson in the low slot from behind the UNE cage, and Persson converted with a one-timer just 41 seconds after the Pilgrims had fallen behind.

Neither team was able to notch the game-winner the rest of regulation and during the five-minute overtime session.

NEC held a 46-35 cushion in shots on goal for the afternoon, including a 19-6 margin in the second period.

Senior Colby Drost had 43 saves for the Nor'easters, while senior Sebastian Anderson posted 32 for New England College.

Both teams play on the road next weekend. UNE faces Castleton State College Friday and Skidmore College Saturday. The Pilgrims take on a pair of nationally-ranked opponents in Babson College (Friday) and UMass Boston (Saturday).