BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Derek Makimaa (Swartz Creek, Mich.) scored on the power play at the 13:12 of the third period to help Salem State University defeat No. 11 USCHO.com/No. 12 D3hockey.com Amherst College, 5-4, in non-conference men’s ice hockey action on Sunday afternoon at the Babson Skating Center.
Junior Michael Chen (Rockville, Md.) scored twice, while senior Cam Moniz (Seekonk, Mass.) sophomore Micahel Casale (Stoney Creek, Ontario) both added a goal apiece for the Vikings. Sophomore Casey Miller (Billerica, Mass.) finished with two assists in the win.
Senior Topher Flanagan (Edmonton, Alberta) scored twice for the Lord Jeffs, who also got goals from senior Xavier Louis Reed (Oakland, Calif.) and first-year Phil Johansson (Saint-Zotique, Quebec).
Amherst (3-4-3) took a 1-0 lead on Flanagan’s first goal of the game at 10:05 of the first period, but Salem State (8-4-0) responded with three second period tallies, the last two by Chen to build a 3-1 edge going to the third period. Reed and Johansson tied the game at the 6:26 mark with goals just 3:37 apart, and Flanagan notched his second of the day on the power play to give the Lord Jeffs a 4-3 lead with 8:52 left in the game.
The Vikings came right back though, as Casale tied the game just 29 seconds later and Makimaa ripped the rebound of sophomore Daniel Campbell’s (Waterloo, Ontario) from the slot past Amherst sophomore goaltender Connor Girard (Bloomington, Minn.) to take the lead for good with 6:48 left. Salem State junior netminder Marcus Zelzer (Green Bay, Wis.) made a great save on a blast by Johansson with 16 seconds remaining to preserve the win.
Zelzer finished with 27 saves to move to 5-1-0 on the year for the Vikings, while Girard stopped 29 shots in defeat for the Lord Jeffs.
Amherst returns to action on Friday when it travels to Bowdoin at 7 p.m., while Salem State hosts Westfield State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
