For Immediate Release
Contact Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director, (508) 990-9651  [log in to unmask]
Thursday, March 1, 2007				 

UMASS DARTMOUTH FACES WENTWORTH IN ECAC NORTHEAST FINAL SATURDAY

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA–For the first time this season, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s hockey team will be playing a team it has already lost to when the Corsairs host Wentworth Saturday in the championship game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast playoffs. Game time is 4:30 p.m. at the Stephan Hetland Memorial Arena in New Bedford.

UMass Dartmouth comes into the game with the top seed in the playoffs and a 24-2-1 record, having won five games in a row and 14 of their past 15 games. Junior forward Jeff Grant (Burlington, MA/Austin Prep) scored three goals and the Corsairs scored three goals in a span of just over three minutes early in the second period and defeated Fitchburg State, 7-3,  in the ECAC Northeast semi-finals Wednesday evening. It was the third time that UMass Dartmouth defeated the Falcons in as many games this season.

Wentworth is the third seed, is 16-8-3 and has won nine of its last 10 games, including a 4-3 victory at Curry in the other ECAC Northeast semi-final Wednesday evening. The Leopards were out shot in that game, 44-32, but goaltender Justin Marriott made 41 saves and Wentworth scored twice in the third period, including Michael O’Brien’s goal with 1:13 to play in the third period, to earn the victory. Included in the Leopards’ recent streak was a 502 victory over UMass Dartmouth at Northeastern’s Matthews Arena February 6th. That game was the only conference loss for the Corsairs this season. Wentworth took a 2-0 lead after the first period, led 3-1 after two and sandwiched a pair of empty net goals around a UMass Dartmouth goal in the final 1:06 to preserve their win. 

“We’re thrilled to be in our third consecutive ECAC Northeast championship game,” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “We’re equally thrilled that it will be at Hetland, which has been rocking in each of the two previous playoff games. We cannot overstate the importance of playing this game at our home rink. Wentworth has been an elite ECAC Northeast team for a number of years, they played very well against us at home in their win in February. Clearly, we have our work cut out for us.”

Saturday’s winner will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships. An All-Tournament Team and the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament will also be chosen after the game. 


UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY