Freshman Dan Graham netted a pair of goals to help lead the way for Stonehill tonight. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Aufiero nets game winner with 44-seconds left in OT, Graham adds pair of goals

EASTON, Mass. (December 8, 2012) – Sophomore Kevin Aufiero's (Canton, Mass.) goal with 44-seconds remaining in overtime lifted Stonehill College to a key 4-3 victory over Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference ice hockey action at the Foxboro Sports Center this evening.

Stonehill posted a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal in the overtime session, breaking through with the game winner when senior J.J. Sabin (Milton, Mass./The Tilton School) connected an outlet pass to senior captain Dana Borges (Taunton, Mass./Williston Northampton), who fed Aufiero for his sixth goal of the season that lifted the Skyhawks to their third straight win.

Freshman Dan Graham (Billerica, Mass./Williston Northampton School) netted two goals for Stonehill, while Sabin and freshman Robbie Dorgan (Ossining, N.Y.) each dished two assists. Freshman Thomas DePoalo (Mendham, N.J./Morristown Beard School) chipped in with a goal for the Skyhawks.

Sophomore Chris Tasiopoulos (Norwell, Mass./Thayer Academy) preserved the win with 40 saves, including 18 in the second period and 14 in a scoreless third period. Sophomore Dave Donzanti (West Chester, Pa./Northfield Mount Hermon) registered 36 stops in goal for Saint Michael's. The Purple Knights edged the Skyhawks 43-40 for shots on goals for the evening.

Kevin Aufiero potted the winning goal with just 44-seconds left in overtime. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Saint Michael's got goals from three different players in the game, starting with sophomore Jeremy Wong (Montreal, Quebec/The Tilton School) in the first period. Senior Justin Castagna (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and junior Ryan Arsenault (Reading, Mass./New Hampton School) each added goals for the Purple Knights.

Wong opened the scoring with his first goal of the season 10:27 into the first period, assisted by freshmen Kevin Altidor (Montreal, Quebec/Millbrook School) and Nick Potter (Stoneham, Mass./Brooks School).

Stonehill evened the contest as time expired in the first period with Graham's first of the game off a feed by Dorgan. Graham put the Skyhawks in front 1:39 into the second period, with assists from Sabin and sophomore Stephen Balsamo (Atkinson, N.H./Brewster Academy) on his sixth goal of the season.

Saint Michael's regained the lead with a pair of unassisted markers, first with Arsenault's sixth goal of the year at 5:28 before Castagna's first of the year at 11:42. Stonehill knotted the score once again just 22-seconds later when DePoalo scored his first collegiate goal, assisted by Dorgan and freshman Connor Fallon (Weymouth, Mass.), at 12:04.

Tasiopoulos and Donzanti kept the game scoreless for the next 41-plus minutes before Aufiero struck for the game winner in overtime.

Stonehill (7-8-0, 3-1-0 NE-10) returns to the ice on Wednesday when it hosts Johnson & Wales University at the Foxboro Sports Center for a non-conference matchup to close out its first semester schedule at 7:30 p.m. Saint Michael's (2-8-0, 0-2-0 NE-10) is off until January 5, when it hosts Southern New Hampshire University for day one of the Doubletree Ice Hockey Classic at 7 p.m.

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