Men's Hockey Shutout at UMass-Dartmouth, 4-0

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Following a three day delay due to this past weekend's snow, the MCLA Men's Ice Hockey team took to the ice this evening against UMass-Dartmouth at the Hetland Arena. While losses by Framingham State and Rivier over the weekend secured the Trailblazers a place in the MASCAC playoffs, MCLA had an opportunity to improve their seeding with a win against the Corsairs. Four different UMass-Dartmouth players scored to help lock MCLA into the #8 seed.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2025
• Score: MCLA 0, UMass-Dartmouth 4
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 4-17-2 (MASCAC 4-10-2) | UMass-Dartmouth Corsairs 10-12-1 (MASCAC 7-8-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED (courtesy of UMass-Dartmouth Athletics)

Behind a 35-save shutout from Graham Burke and a solid offensive effort, the UMass Dartmouth men's hockey team defeated Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 4-0 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Tuesday. The Corsairs move to 10-12-1 overall and 7-8-1 in conference play, while the Trailblazers are now 4-17-2 and 4-10-2 in the MASCAC.

The Corsairs got things going at 6:48 of the first as sophomore center Connor Little won the faceoff draw, dropping the puck back to rookie defender Hunter Scanlon. Navigating toward the mid-slot, Scanlon fired a shot that slipped past MCLA goalie Mathew Gover on the right side.

Rookie left winger Blake Kashark made it a 2-0 advantage for the Corsairs at 12:31 of the first. A pass from the right circle by fifth year center and assistant captain Michael Mania found UMD captain and defender Cade Hanley at the right point. Firing a shot through traffic, Kashark was there to redirect the puck in.

It was Kashark again in the second period, scoring shorthanded as the puck careened off a linesman and dribbled out to sophomore center Doug Doren. Picking up the loose puck, Doren navigated into the zone and found Kashark on the far side as he fired it home for the 3-0 advantage.

UMass Dartmouth notched its fourth goal of the game at the 16:59 mark as with the puck deep in the Trailblazers zone, Mania got the touch and tipped it out to junior left wing Tyler Stewart. Getting a touch of his own, Stewart sent the puck out to the high slot as junior defender and assistant captain Lane Ruffner barreled in and sent a shot scorching past Gover.

Neither team lit the lamp in the third period despite and solid effort from the Corsairs who peppered Gover with 14 shots in the final stanza.

Burke earned the victory for UMD, recording 11 shots in the first, 15 in the second period and nine in the third. Gover shouldered the loss, stopping eight shots in the opening frame, 10 in the second and 14 in the third.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Shots: MCLA 35, UMass-Dartmouth 36
• Saves: MCLA 32, UMass-Dartmouth 35
• Faceoffs Won: MCLA 38, UMass-Dartmouth 34
• Penalty/Minutes: MCLA 6/12:00, UMass-Dartmouth 10/23:00
• Power Plays: MCLA 0 for 7, UMass-Dartmouth 0 for 3

UP NEXT:

On Thursday, MCLA will be back in action when it hosts Plymouth State University at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Rink for a MASCAC matchup with the Panthers. The puck will drop at 8 p.m.

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