Board Nets Overtime Winner to Lift Owls to Victory over Rivier

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year forward Cooper Board (Salem, Mass.) scored a pair of goals, including the game-winning goal 1:44 into overtime as the Owls defeated Rivier University 5-4 on a Tuesday night from Nashua, New Hampshire.

Board collected a feed from defenseman Tom Sköld (Jarna, Sweden), then skated down the right side and fired a shot through the five-hole of Rivier goaltender Andrew LoRusso (Peabody, Mass.) for the game-ending score.

Westfield battled back before eventually finishing the game in overtime as the Owls trailed on three separate occasions, including the first period where the Raiders potted the first two goals off the sticks of Milan Breczko (Klasterec Nad Ohri, Czech Republic) and Josh Sanchez (Potsdam, N.Y.).

Entering the second period down 2-0, Board quickly put the Owls on the scoreboard a little over a minute in with Mathieu Jones (Gatineau, Quebec) setting up the tally. Three minutes later, Westfield capitalized on a power play opportunity with Brett Williams (Middleboro, Mass.) connecting on the equalizer with Dawson Garcia (Oakville, Ontario) and Board picking up the assists.

Rivier would regain the lead midway through the second, converting on a man-advantage chance of their own as Billy Hartnett (Weymouth, Mass.) registered the special-teams goal. However, the Owls quickly tied the game at three goals apiece just 53 seconds later on another power play opportunity with defenseman Dan Long (Guilford, Conn.) depositing his first goal of the season.

Both teams would head into the third period with the game equal at three until the Raiders recorded their fourth goal of the game 7:28 into the frame as Jon Tavella (East Longmeadow, Mass.) put the Raiders in front, but that lead did not last long as Westfield answered thirty seconds later on a goal by first-year Colin Roe (Boston, Mass.) to tie the contest.

Both teams would remain scoreless over the final 12:02 of the period which would set up Board for his team-leading fifth goal of the season to guide the Owls to their fifth win of the year.

Rivier held a 34-26 shot advantage in the game as junior netminder Kevin Chandler (Hanover, Mass.) stood tall in net in his first start of the season, piling up 30 saves for the Owls. LoRusso (L, 0-4) stopped 21 shots on net in a losing effort.

Westfield scored two man-advantage goals in seven attempts while Rivier was held to one goal in four power plays.

Westfield returns to conference play this weekend as the Owls travel to Worcester State to face the Lancers at the DCU Center on Saturday at 3:20 P.M.