Shankar's Late Goal Lifts Hockey over SNHU in Boston Landing Finale

BRIGHTON, Mass. – In a back-and-forth affair, a late goal by junior Jacob Shankar (Johnstown, Ont.) sealed a 5-4 victory for the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's ice hockey team (6-9) over the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen (5-7-1) in the Boston Landing Invitational tournament finale Sunday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Leopards scored first 7:36 into the initial frame as junior Mitch McGinn (Salem, N.H.) tucked home a passing play down low with the extra skater, giving Wentworth a 1-0 edge.
•  The Penmen knotted the score at one-all with 4:46 to go in the opening frame as senior Jackson Aldrich (Waterville, Maine) cleaned up a loose puck in front of sophomore Jack McGovern (Ancaster, Ont.), tying the score at one apiece.
• Junior Jack Gray (Lowell, Mass.) gave SNHU a 2-1 lead just 2:33 after Aldrich's score as the junior scored on a backhand wraparound.
• Wentworth got the tying tally with 1:48 to go in the second period as sophomore Nikolas Sombrowski (Fernie, B.C.) fed freshman Dane Probe (Calgary, Alta.) for a net-front finish on the powerplay.
• The Leopards regained their lead just 49 seconds into the third period as sophomore Ian Worthley (Saugus, Mass.) potted his backhand try on a breakaway, raising the score to 3-2 in favor of the Black & Gold.
• Senior Matt Smoliga (Glenview, Ill.) extended the Leopards' lead to 4-2 at the 2:14 mark of the third period on a shot just off of a faceoff win by Sombrowski.
• The Penmen cut their deficit to one just 29 seconds after Smoliga's tally as a point shot by senior Derek Flynn (Dracut, Mass.) found its way on net, with the rebound being pushed in for a shorthanded goal by junior Tucker Twardosky (Merrimack, N.H.) to mark a 4-3 score.
• A hard slap shot from sophomore Alex Muthersbaugh (Gilford, N.H.) rippled the twine for the Penmen at the 6:19 mark, tying the score at four aside.
• The Leopards took a 5-4 lead with 2:20 remaining in the third period as sophomore Cade Penney (Thornton, Pa.) fed Shankar in front of the net, with Shankar beating freshman Collin Berke (Crofton, Md.) in between the pipes.
• McGovern made 31 stops in the triumph for the Leopards, while Berke turned aside 23 for the Penmen. Wentworth's powerplay went 2-for-5 while McGinn (one goal, two assists) and Sombrowski (3 assists) led the team on the scoresheet.

SERIES NOTES:

• Winners of five straight, the Leopards lead the all-time series, 8-6-3.

NEXT UP:

• Wentworth hops back into CCC play Friday at home against Nichols.

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