Longley nets the game-winner for WNEC with 2:31 remaining in overtime

Boxscore

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 16, 2008) – Senior Shawn Longley (Lewiston, Maine/St. Dominic Regional) pounced on a loose puck and found the back of the net 2:29 into overtime as Western New England College stunned Franklin Pierce University, 3-2 in overtime, in an ECAC Northeast Conference men’s ice hockey match on Wednesday night at the Winchendon School Ice Arena.

Off a scramble in front of the Franklin Pierce net, Longley found the puck and somehow fit it through a mass of bodies and just over the goal line for the game-winner. The goal came 1:16 after the Golden Bears thought they had the game won, when a shot from junior Mike Majesty (Chicago, Ill./Toledo Cherokee) appeared to hit the inside of the post and carom out.

Longley also recorded an assist for a game-high two points for the Golden Bears. The team also received goals from junior Jason Remsbecker (Farmingdale, N.Y./Long Island Jr. Gulls) and classmate Dean Smith (Warwick, R.I./Toll Gate), with both players giving their team a temporary one-goal advantage.

The Ravens responded to each Western New England tally with one of their own, as senior Ryan Strayer (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Enfield (Conn.)) tied the game at one in the second period and junior Jay Stempniak (West Seneca, N.Y./Johnson & Wales) scored midway through the third period to knot the game at two.

Neither goaltender faced consistent pressure over the course of the evening, but both made some important saves to keep the game close. Western New England freshman Justin Richards (Somers, Conn./Somers) made 21 saves on 23 attempts to earn his second consecutive victory, while Franklin Pierce freshman Jeremy Rossignolo (Rochester, N.Y./Springfield Pics) turned away 18 of 21 shots in a losing effort.

Smith began the scoring at 12:50 of the middle frame with a power-play tally, as he took a nice pass from Longley inside the left circle and one-timed the puck into the vacated left side of the net. The Ravens responded nearly two minutes later on the power play, as Strayer went five-hole from the top of the crease off a pass from sophomore Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H./Laconia Leafs) to tie the game at one at the 14:54 mark.

Western New England regained the lead early in the third period with a shorthanded tally. Remsbecker and Nick Sampson (Reading, Mass./Reading) broke in on a two-on-one rush, and Remsbecker took a pass from Sampson in front of the net and stuffed home a rebound after his initial attempt was rebuffed by Rossignolo.

Stempniak tied the game for the second time with 8:57 remaining in regulation, as he picked up a rebound from junior Shane Murphy (Tolland, Conn./The Gunnery School)’s shot and beat Richards low for his second goal in as many games. Freshman Mark Malcolm (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) earned his first collegiate point by recording the second assist on the goal.

The Ravens held a slight 23-21 shot advantage over the Golden Bears, but could only convert on one of their eight power-play chances on the night. Western New England scored one man-advantage goal in seven opportunities, but also had the important shorthanded tally early in the third period.

Franklin Pierce (4-12-0, 0-3-0 NE-10, 2-6-0 ECAC NE) completes its four-game homestand on Saturday evening as the team hosts ECAC Northeast opponent Salve Regina at 7 p.m. at the Winchendon School Ice Arena. Western New England (2-12-1, 1-5-1 ECAC NE) returns home to take on conference foe UMass Dartmouth on Saturday at 2:40 p.m.