Prior to Saturday night’s semi-finals between the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs and the Fitchburg State Falcons, Fitchburg State were 2-1 against UMass Dartmouth this season. In the first period, Fitchburg State would dominate the transition and possession game, outshooting UMass Dartmouth 12-7. 10:19 into the period, Hunter Dunn lasered the puck into the lower right corner of the net, beating UMass Dartmouth goaltender Daniel Davidson. Jackson Collins and Nolan Sargent were credited with the assists. 

UMass Dartmouth fought back in the second and dominated parts of the game with sustained offensive zone time. Their offense manufactured several scoring chances and drew two hooking penalties; however, Fitchburg State’s penalty kill unit was able to kill off both penalties. The Corsairs outshot the Falcons 16-6 but still trailed at the end of the 2nd period, due in no small part to the performance of rookie goaltender Frederick Soderberg. 

Heading into the third period, all I could think was that UMass Dartmouth would have to eventually get rewarded for their offensive puck possession but they would have to get bodies in front of Soderberg. Fortunately for UMass Dartmouth, their efforts in the offensive zone would pay dividends. 9:28 into the third period, defenseman Stephon Perrault launched a missile of a shot and crafty Winger Brandon Clark redirected the shot into the net. At the end of regulation, UMass Dartmouth outshot Fitchburg State 36-28. Nine minutes into the overtime period, Fitchburg State’s Michael Machioni crashed the net and poked the puck in a mad scramble in front of the net and won the game. Fitchburg State’s rookie goaltender Frederick Soderberg had a standout performance stopping 36 of 37 shots against a UMass Dartmouth squad that controlled the pace of the game for most of the 2nd and 3rd periods. One area the Corsairs could have been better at was the faceoff circle, where they only won 21 of 64 draws. Faceoffs would have assisted their puck possession game even more. This would be the end to the Corsairs impressive 16-11 season. Fitchburg State will be advancing to the MASCAC Conference Finals next Saturday against Plymouth State.