Box Score
Video of Game-Winning Goal
Full Video Replay
Post-Game Interview

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Dylan Bengston scored with 19 seconds elapsed in overtime to give the University of New England a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Castleton University in a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) men's game played Friday night (Jan. 8) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

UNE ran its unbeaten streak to seven games (6-0-1) while upping its overall record to 7-4-2 and conference mark to 3-4-1. The Spartans dropped to 1-12-1 on the season, 0-6-1 in NEHC play.

Trailing 1-0 with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, the Nor'easters forced overtime when Trevor Fleurent scored on the power play at the 18:10 mark. Fleurent converted from a tough angle at the bottom of the right circle after receiving a short pass from Bengston. Ian Rodden received a secondary assist on the play, finding Bengston with a cross-ice feed.

After Castleton took another penalty 18 seconds later, UNE was unable to convert in regulation and the two teams went to overtime.

With 28 seconds remaining on the power play, the Nor'easters took advantage immediately to claim victory. After a save of a Fleurent shot forced a face-off, the Nor'easters won the ensuing draw. UNE moved the puck in its offensive zone before Kyle Williams fired a shot from just inside the blue line that was initially stopped by Castleton goaltender Ryan Mulder. Bengston collected the rebound in the slot, slid to his right a bit and lifted the puck into the top right corner of the cage, setting off a wild celebration.

The Spartans had scored at 6:21 of the first for what appeared as if it might be the only goal of the evening. With his team on the power play, Fabio Klay tipped in a shot from the right point by Dan Fitzgerald. Patrick Thornton also assisted on the play.

The scoreboard could have been much different had it not been for a strong performance from each goaltender. UNE's Mason Riley was at his best in the second frame, twice denying strong scoring opportunities by Will Laking. The first came on a glove stop at the 13-minute mark, and the second when Laking broke in with less than a minute to play in the frame. Riley, who finished with 22 saves, also stoned Laking on a breakaway in the first period.

Mulder, who totaled 39 stops, was brilliant all evening between the pipes for Castleton. His came up big in the third with 14 saves, including a pair of denials on Tucker Ross' blasts in the final minute to send the game into overtime.

UNE finished with a 41-23 margin in shots on goal and was 2-for-4 on the power play, while Castleton went 1-for-2.

Both teams return to the ice tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m. The Spartans head up the road to Gorham to face the University of Southern Maine, and the Nor'easters host Skidmore College.