ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Sophomore forward Cy LeClerc (Brentwood, N.H.) scored the game winner with just 6.2 seconds left in overtime as the No. 10 University of New Hampshire men's hockey team defeated No. 20 Rochester Institute of Technology, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon at the Gene Polisseni Center. Freshman forward Ryan Conmy (Alexandria, Va.) tied the game at 3-3 with just 5.3 seconds left in regulation.
The Wildcats improve to 7-3-1, while the Tigers fall to 8-4-0.
UNH's 7-3-1 start to the season is its best in 11 years when the Wildcats were 8-1-2.
UP NEXT:
- The Wildcats return to action at Maine on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ for the Border Battle presented by Buffalo Wild Wings.
- The next home game is on Saturday, Dec. 9 versus RPI at 4 p.m. presented by East Coast Lumber. The annual Teddy Bear Toss will be held along with Skate With the 'Cats after the game.
- Go to UNHWildcats.com/Tickets.or call the ticket office at (603) 862-4000 to catch the most exciting family entertainment in New Hampshire.
Score: #10 UNH 4, #20 RIT 3 (OT)
Records: UNH (7-3-1); RIT (8-4-0)
Location: Rochester, N.Y. (Polisseni Center)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
Attendance: 2,610
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After the Tigers scored two goals to take a 2-0 lead in the first period, the Wildcats responded with two power play goals on a five-minute major.
- At 17:07 of the first period, senior forward Nick Cafarelli (Middleton, Mass.) blasted a shot from the slot to the upper glove side corner of the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. Junior defenseman Luis Lindner (Spittal an der Drau, Austria) and senior defenseman Luke Reid (Warman, Saskatchewan) each posted an assist on the goal.
- Then at 19:15, LeClerc sent a wrist shot to the back of the net to tie the contest at 2-2. Reid and sophomore forward Stiven Sardarian (Saint Petersburg, Russia) each tallied an assist.
- With the game still tied at 2-2 in the third period, Matthew Wilde tipped a slapshot by Gianfranco Cassaro to the back of the net for the power play goal to give RIT a 3-2 lead at 9:49.
- The Wildcats went with an empty-net with 2:05 remaining in the third period and with just 5.3 second left, Conmy scored on a one-timer from in front of the net off a pass by Sardarian. Freshman forward Nick Ring (Abington, Mass.) also posted an assist.
- Then with 6.2 second remaining in overtime LeClerc scored on a breakaway off a pass by Conmy.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- UNH outshot RIT, 49-24.
- The Wildcats went 2-6 on the power play, while the Tigers went 1-2.
- Junior goalie Jakob Hellsten (Ljusdal, Sweden) recorded 21 saves for the 'Cats to improve to 4-1-1, while Tommy Scarfone tallied 45 saves for the Tigers.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- LeClerc and Babbage extended their point streaks to four games. He now has a team-best six goals this season.
- This is LeClerc's second OT winner of the season as he also scored in the 5-4 win over Quinnipiac on Oct.21.
