Statistics

BEVERLY, Mass. -- Jimmy McIsaac scored during a 6-on-5 with 26 seconds left in regulation to force overtime and then recorded the deciding tally more than nine minutes into the extra session, lifting second-seeded Endicott College past third-seeded University of New England, 3-2, in the semifinals of the 2024 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Men's Ice Hockey Championship at Bourque Arena on Saturday (Feb. 24).

The Gulls (16-5-5) will now host next Saturday's final with the result, as, earlier in the afternoon, No.4 Salve Regina University knocked off top seed Curry College by a 7-2 margin on the other side of the bracket.

The Nor'easters are almost certainly mathematically too far out of the picture for a possible NCAA berth when all of the conference tournament action is complete, and so they likely end the season with a 17-6-4 overall mark.

Of no surprise to anyone lately, the contest between rivals needed more than 60 minutes. The last five meetings, including all four this season, required some form of overtime. Saturday's edition, though, had its own unique brand of drama.

Things were scoreless through two periods and shots were fairly even (24-22 Endicott), although the Nor'easters turned in 15 blocked shots to EC's eight to help limited the pressure on Nor'easter goalie Billy Girard IV.

It seemed like more of the same early in the 3rd until two penalties on Gulls 26 seconds apart gave UNE a 5-on-3 advantage. After 40 seconds, the visitors got on the scoreboard first at the 8:47 mark with the team lead-tying ninth goal of the season by Jayden Price. Juraj Elias and Ryan Kuzmich picked up assists. Then, down the stretch, Endicott went on a power play with 6:04 on the clock, and almost used up the whole two minutes when Kevin Craig found the equalizer (15:41).

The Nor'easters tilted the ice back towards Gulls netminder Atticus Kelly, forcing several stops in rapid succession, and broke through for another go-ahead score with 1:24 remaining off the stick of Anthony Cinato -- his seventh marker of the year. Kevin O'Keefe and Dominic Murphy contributed to the play.

Endicott pulled Kelly with 61 ticks left for an extra skater, and that's when McIsaac knotted the match. In overtime, both sides had their chances, included a pair of EC breakaway attempts that were denied by Girard, before McIsaac guided the game-winner home.

Kelly put up 37 saves for the Gulls, while Girard posted 39 stops. Supporting the UNE goalie most frequently were Garrett Devine and Brock Paul will three blocked shots each.