Hockey Battles Salve Regina to 2-2 Tie

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Junior Kevin Obssuth (Chester, N.J.) scored with 4:16 left to knot the score at 2-all as the Wentworth Institute of Technology hockey team skated to a 2-2 tie with Salve Regina Friday night. While the two teams picked up a point for the tie, the Seahawks picked up an extra point with a 1-0 win in the shootout.

THE BASICS:

RECORDS:  WIT:  5-14-3 (4-12-2 (16 points) CCC); SRU:  14-5-2 (12-3-2 (39 points) CCC)
SHOTS:  WIT:  43; SRU:  28
PENALTIES/MINUTES:  WIT:  3/6; SRU:  9/26
POWER PLAYS:  WIT:  1-6; SRU:  0-1
GOALIE SAVES:  WIT:  Will Oliver, 26; SRU:  Nicholas Latinovich, 41

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After numerous chances early on, Wentworth finally broke the ice when senior Joey O'Leary (Boston, Mass.) put the Leopards on the board with his 10th marker of the season, coming at 12:29 of the opening frame. The Black & Gold had a 17-6 shot advantage through the first 20 minutes.
• Salve Regina tied and took the lead in the second period as sophomore Seth Benson (Moorhead, Minn.) scored at 8:47 of the period and then again with 37 seconds left in the stanza.
• Both teams had chances throughout the third period and, at the 15:19 mark, Wentworth went on its fifth power play of the night. Just 25 seconds into the man advantage, Obssuth potted his team-leading 11th goal of the season, set up by senior Jake McKenelley (Middleton, Mass.) and junior Sam Milnes (Middletown, R.I.).
• Oliver came up with two big saves in overtime, including one on a breakaway. McKenelley nearly won it for Wentworth with 20 seconds left, however, graduate student Nicholas Latinovich (Vaughan, Ont.) came up with a save. On the play, a slashing penalty was called, giving the Black & Gold a man-advantage for the final 20 seconds of the extra frame.
• In the shootout, Obssuth, O'Leary, and McKenelley all missed for Wentworth. Salve Regina missed its first two shots, with Oliver making saves on senior Tyler Colangelo (Hamden, Conn.) and senior John McClean (North Andover, Mass.) before freshman Kaiden Kanderka (Red Deer, Alta.) picked up the extra point for the Seahawks when he scored in the bottom of the third round.
• Oliver finished with 26 saves, while Latinovich had 41. Wentworth had a 43-28 shot advantage.

SERIES NOTES:

• Tonight marked the 42nd all-time meeting between the two teams. Wentworth holds a 28-10-4 series advantage.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth hosts Endicott tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.

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