Pigozzi Sends Massachusetts Past Maine, 5-4, In Overtime
Junior forward Ray Pigozzi scores game-winning goal at 2:14 of overtime for Minutemen

Junior forward Ray Pigozzi scored the game-winning goal for the Minutemen
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 15:35  MNE1-0 EV Will Merchant (2)Dan Renouf/1, Cam Brown/2
2nd 3:15  UMA1-1 PP Dennis Kravchenko (6)Steven Iacobellis/5, Shane Walsh/4
2nd 7:04  UMA2-1 EV Keith Burchett (2)Kurt Keats/2, Dominic Trento/4
2nd 8:01  UMA3-1 EV Dennis Kravchenko (7) -
2nd 13:21  MNE2-3 EV Will Merchant (3)Cam Brown/3, Sam Becker/1
3rd 5:24  UMA4-2 EV Shane Walsh (5)William Lagesson/2, Keith Burchett/2
3rd 6:38  MNE3-4 EV Daniel Perez (1)Andrew Tegeler/2, Dan Renouf/2
3rd 9:35  MNE4-4 EV Cédric Lacroix (1)Daniel Perez/1
OT 2:14  UMA5-4 EV GW Ray Pigozzi (3) -
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd OT Final
Maine  11204
Massachusetts  03115
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd OT SOG
Maine  111313037
Massachusetts  12915137
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Maine (0-3-3)  0/2 2/4 0
Massachusetts (4-0-1)  1/2 2/4 0
Maine Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Rob McGovern (L, 0-1-2)62:145 12614032
Massachusetts Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Nic Renyard (W, 2-0-1)62:144 101211033

TRENTON, N.J. - Junior Ray Pigozzi's goal 2:14 into overtime lifted University of Massachusetts hockey to a 5-4 win over Maine in a non-league matchup in the opening game of the Capital City Classic on Friday. With the win, the Minutemen improve to 4-0-1 and are unbeaten through five games for the first time in the program's Division I history, while the Black Bears fall to 0-3-3 to start the season.

Sophomore Dennis Kravchenko (2g), senior Shane Walsh (1g, 1a) and sophomore Keith Burchett (1g, 1a) all had multi-point efforts for UMass in the victory. Kravchenko's marked his fourth multi-point game in five contests thus far this season as he now paces the squad with 12 points on the year (7g, 5a). Walsh, Pigozzi, junior Steven Iacobellis (1a) and sophomore Dominic Trento (1a) all extended their point scoring streaks to five games, as well.

Despite several quality scoring chances for the Minutemen early on, Maine ended the first period with a 1-0 lead. Will Merchant redirected a Dan Renouf shout through traffic to put the Black Bears on the board 15:35 into the opening frame.

The Minutemen came out in the second, though, and promptly tied the score at 1-1 on their first power play opportunity of the night at the 3:15 mark. Walsh advanced the puck to Iacobellis out of the UMass defensive zone and he found Kravchenko streaking up the middle of the ice for a snipe over the shoulder of netminder Rob McGovern.

Two more tallies for the Minutemen, just 57 seconds apart, gave UMass the 3-1 lead midway through the frame. Freshman Kurt Keats centered a puck from behind the net that Burchett put home from the slot. Kravchenko then added his second tally of the night moments later, eluding several Black Bear defenders on the way to the goal.

Merchant responded for Maine 13:31 into the period with Merchant's second of the contest from Cam Brown and Blaine Byron on the rush, cutting the margin to 3-2.

Walsh then gave UMass back its two-goal cushion with his fifth of the season, driving a shot though traffic at the 5:24 mark of the third period. Freshman William Lagesson and Burchett added assists on the play.

However, the Black Bears rallied to tie the score at four apiece as Daniel Perez netted the squad's third at 6:38 and Cedric Lacroix added the equalizer 9:35 into the stanza.

Pigozzi's game-winner in the extra period came as he centered the puck from the corner that ricocheted off a Maine defender's skates and into the net past McGovern.

The teams finished the night even in shots at 37 apiece, while the Minutemen went 1-for-2 on the power play and Maine was 0-for-2. UMass won 43-of-77 faceoffs (55.8%) in the contest, led by Kravchenko's 15-for-21 (71.4%) performance over the dots.

The Minutemen will return to action tomorrow, Oct. 31, with the Capital City Classic championship game at 7:30 p.m.