MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – Senior Steven Berry (Ashburn, Va.) recorded the first hat trick of his career as the Southern New Hampshire University ice hockey team overcame an early two-goal deficit to tie Morrisville State College, 5-5, at the IcePlex on Saturday. The Penmen are now 5-7-1 on the season, while the Mustangs move to 4-6-5. 

Southern New Hampshire fell behind early, as Steve Dol put the hosts ahead 1-0 just 2:45 into the first period. 50 seconds later, the Penmen responded as Berry buried his first goal of the season off a feed from freshman Timothy Baylis (West Haven, Conn.). Morrisville State struck twice more to take a 3-1 advantage before junior Anthony Laperriere (Winchendon, Mass.) answered with his fourth of the year with 1:34 to play in the first to make it 3-2 at the intermission.

The two teams battled back and forth through the first half of the second period before Berry pulled the Penmen even. With 9:04 to go in the second stanza, Berry found the back of the net with help from classmate Dane Caracino (Belmont, Mass.) and Baylis to deadlock the score at three goals apiece. Less than two and a half minutes later, junior Joe Collins (Mansfield, Mass.) gave Southern New Hampshire its first lead of the evening when he cashed in on the powerplay for his seventh of the season off an assist from Caracino.

The Penmen pushed their lead to a pair of goals 5:29 into the third, as Berry collected his third of the season and the game on an outstanding individual effort. Morrisville State stopped the Southern New Hampshire run with 8:08 to play in regulation when Jordan Carvalho picked up his fourth goal of the year. A little more than two minutes later, the Mustangs completed their own two-goal comeback when Brad Holman converted a powerplay opportunity to make it 5-5 with 5:54 to go. Neither side was able to find the scoresheet during the five-minute overtime session, and each team skated away with a point.

Berry led the way for Southern New Hampshire with three goals, while Baylis and Caracino each handed out two assists. Freshman Matthew MacInnis (Arlington, Texas) registered 37 saves in goal for the Penmen, including 15 during the third period and overtime.

Southern New Hampshire will return to the ice on Sunday when it completes its upstate New York road trip with a 2 p.m. tilt with Oswego State. Morrisville State will remain idle until Friday when it hosts Nichols College at 7 p.m.

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