Box Score Boxscore

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Dalton Jay scored a power-play goal with 14 seconds left to lift Westfield State to a 4-3 non-conference victory Friday over Western New England in the local rivals fifth annual Falcon Cup game at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, capping a three-goal comeback for the Owls. It was the season opener for both teams.

Western New England came out blazing hot by taking a 3-0 lead after the first period. Defenseman Michael Darrar put the Golden Bears on the board, unassisted, just 41 seconds after the opening face-off when he collected a high WSU shot that caromed around the dasher boards near center ice and then skated in on goalie Ian Perrier while on a mini-breakaway. With 5 minutes remaining in the frame, Christopher Lembo and Alan Martin scored power-play goals 52 seconds apart to build a seemingly commanding lead. It was Lembo's first career goal as a freshman.

The Golden Bears peppered the Owls goals 20 to 5 during the first 20 minutes and 46 to 33 for the game. But Perrier kept Westfield State within striking distance by making key saves, including several point-blank stops late in the game that would have put WNE in the lead before Jay's tally.

Trailing 3-1 going into the third period, Westfield State pulled within 3-2 on Nic Vidoni's goal at the 2:18 mark and tied it 3-3 on Adam Baldassarre's tally almost 3 minutes later.

Jay's game-winning goal was set up by a 2-minute roughing penalty on a WNE player with only 29 seconds remaining that left the Golden Bears shorthanded.

Brandon Stroud, Dan Monahan, Andrew Cramer and Darrar each added an assist on the WNE scoresheet.

Eric Sorenson made 29 saves in the WNE goal while Perrier finished with 43 stops.

Western New England was whistled for 38 penalty-minutes and went 2-for-7 on the power play. Westfield State committed 18 minutes in penalties and converted on its seventh power-play opportunity with under a minute left.