HOOKSETT, N.H. — Junior Joe Collins (Mansfield, Mass) registered a three-point night, but the Southern New Hampshire University ice hockey team suffered a 5-4, overtime setback against Suffolk University at the Ice Den on Tuesday. The Penmen are now 2-3, while the Rams improve to 6-0-1.

After Tim Sprague gave the visitors a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the game, Gabrione knotted the score 28 seconds later. As Suffolk goaltender Kevin Venturoso attempted to corral a bouncing puck, Collins swatted it across the crease to Gabrione and he buried the equalizer to make it 1-1 less than four minutes into the first.

Gabrione put the Penmen ahead 3:08 later when he picked up his second goal of the opening period. Collins picked up a loose puck along the wall in the neutral zone before sending a rink-wide pass to sophomore Devin Murray (Saugus, Mass.). Murray transitioned down the rightwing boards and slid a pass from the bottom of the face-off circle through the slot to a cutting Gabrione. The junior captain snapped a shot past the glove of Venturoso to the top-right corner to give the hosts a 2-1 advantage at intermission. 

The second period belonged to the Rams however, as Suffolk found the back of the net twice to take a 3-2 lead. In the third, Tyler Heineman tacked on what seemed to be an insurance goal with 6:07 left in regulation, but Southern New Hampshire fought back with a pair of goals to force overtime. 

Junior Anthony Laperriere (Winchendon, Mass.) closed the gap to just a single score with 2:41 remaining when he notched his third goal of the season. After the Penmen sustained a heavy forecheck in the Suffolk zone, senior John Humphrey (Charlestown, Mass.) unloaded a wrist-shot from the left hashmark that was initially turned aside. Laperriere crashed the net, collected the rebound and tucked a shot past a sprawling Venturoso. 

Southern New Hampshire was able to even the score at four just 17 seconds later, as Collins used a superb individual effort to send the teams to an extra session. After sophomore Jay Sylvia (Acushnet, Mass.) chipped the puck out of the Penmen zone, Collins scooped it up at the red line and outmaneuvered a pair of Suffolk defenders be rifling a shot to the short-side top corner. In overtime, Justin Selep managed the game-winner for the Rams 32 seconds in to give Suffolk the 5-4 victory.

Collins finished with a goal and two assists to lead the Southern New Hampshire offense, while Gabrione collected a pair of points with  two goals. Freshman Matthew MacInnis (Arlington, Texas) stopped 23 shots in goal for the Penmen, while his counterpart Venturoso recorded 20 saves. 

Southern New Hampshire will return to the ice on Saturday when it hosts Fitchburg State University in the 2014 Manchester Police Athletic League (PAL)/Stovepipe Tournament at 4:30 p.m. Suffolk will remain idle until Sunday when it heads to New England College for non-conference clash with the Pilgrims.

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