NEW LONDON, Conn. – Primo Baldassarre (Glenolden, Pa.) made 32 saves and Matt Lewis (Pembroke, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal, as the Connecticut College men's ice hockey came from behind twice to defeat visiting Manhattanville 3-2 on Friday afternoon from Dayton Arena.
Manhattanville started quickly forcing a save from Baldassarre just 1:19 in, before opening the scoring at 1:55 as Brett LoGelfo redirected a shot home to make it 1-0. Baldassarre hunkered down and shut the door for the rest of the period adding 18 more saves, as the Valiants earned four power plays. Rocco Testa-Basi (Ottawa, Ontario) forced the first save from Tripp Clarke at 4:19, but the Camels could not break through, trailing 1-0 after the first.
Conn started the middle frame on the front foot, earning an early power play, but both Lewis and Reece Cordray (Verona, Wis.) were denied by Clarke. The Camels finally tied the score at 8:12 as Ryan McKenna (Garden City, N.Y.) fed a quick pass to Arty Mirante (Garden City, N.Y.) who fired home, with Kareem Alazem (McLean, Va.) also picking up an assist.
The Valiants retook the lead at 13:57 as Tristan D'Elia made it 2-1. Three and a half minutes later, the Camels answered back on Lewis' first goal. Will Lawrence (Bethesda, Md.) won a puck battle at the offensive blue line, firing towards goal where Clarke made the save, but the rebound bounced off of Lewis and in to make it 2-2 heading to the third.
The intensity picked up in the final period as both sides looked for the go-ahead goal. However, both Baldassarre and Clarke held strong keeping the game all square at two. With just under five minutes remaining though, Conn found the breakthrough. Lawrence dropped a pass to Lewis who fired over the glove of Clarke to make it 3-2. Manhattanville pulled Clarke with a minute and a half remaining for the extra skater, but the Camels were able to shut the Valiants down to earn the 3-2 win.
Manhattanville outshot Conn 31-24, while holding a 40-30 edge on face-off wins.
Baldassarre picked up his first win of the season finishing with 32 saves. Lewis and Lawrence led the way with two goals and two assists respectively. Mirante added the third goal, while both Alazem and McKenna chipped in one assist. Mirante also paced Conn with 10 face-off wins, as the Camels went 6-6 on the penalty kill and 0-5 on the power play.
Clarke got the start in goal, recording 21 saves. D'Elia and LoGelfo both recorded one goal, while Lane Paddison and Zach Choueiri each added an assist. Manhattanville finished 0-6 on the power play and 5-5 on the penalty kill.
Conn (6-4-1, 2-3-1 NESCAC) wraps up non-conference action tomorrow afternoon as the Camels travel to New Haven, Conn. to take on Albertus Magnus at 4:00 p.m.
