HENNIKER, N.H. - Junior captain Gunnar Sibley (Monticello, Minn.) recorded his first career hat trick Saturday afternoon to power the New England College men's ice hockey team to a 4-2 Little East Conference (LEC) victory over the University of Southern Maine on senior day. 

Southern Maine applied early pressure in the opening period, testing the Pilgrims' defense with a series of shots, but senior goaltender Danny Miscavish (Macomb, Mich) stood tall between the pipes. Both teams earned late first-period power play opportunities, but neither was successful. While shorthanded at the 15:14 mark, Sibley intercepted the puck, raced into the Huskies' zone, and beat goaltender Ean Badgett to give NEC a 1-0 lead. The Huskies responded on the same power play opportunity, using the remaining advantage to even the score at 1-1. The Pilgrims generated a late surge of offensive pressure, but Badgett made several key saves to keep the game tied heading into the first intermission. 

Southern Maine struck quickly in the second period, as Kayde Kinaschuk set up Gavin Simopoulos for a goal just 20 seconds in, giving the Huskies a 2-1 edge. NEC answered midway through the frame. Shortly after the Pilgrims' power play expired, Sibley buried his second goal of the night to tie the contest at 2-2, with assists credited to freshmen Jack Ohlund (Lakeville, Minn.) and Matteo Viglino (Davos, Switzerland). Moments later, Sibley completed the hat trick as he collected the rebound on a shot from sophomore Egor Osipik (Minsk, Belarus) and finished to give the 'Grims a 3-2 lead. The Pilgrims carried the one-goal advantage into the second intermission after fending off a late push from the Huskies. 

Both teams traded chances throughout a tightly contested third period. Miscavish and Badgett each came up with critical saves to keep the margin at one. Southern Maine pulled its goaltender for an extra skater in the final 90 seconds, but NEC sealed the victory when Osipik fired the puck into the empty net at the 19:37 mark, securing the 4-2 victory.

Miscavish earned his first win in net for the Pilgrims with 29 saves. He was honored in a pregame ceremony alongside Padgitt, Martins Leps (Riga, Latvia), and Graham Hassan (Pinckney, Mich.). 

With the result, the Pilgrims conclude their season at 9-16-0 overall and 8-10-0 in conference play, falling just short of the LEC postseason tournament. 

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