BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – In what might ultimately be classified as a winner-take-all match Wednesday night as far as Little East Conference playoff scenarios are concerned, Massachusetts Maritime Academy proved to be the big winner in a 15-10 Little East Conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University at Clean Harbors Stadium.

With an opportunity to move 1 ½ games ahead of Mass Maritime (5-7, 3-2 LEC) and all but secure a first-round LEC playoff home game, Eastern (5-8, 3-3 LEC) faltered, falling four goals back early, rallying to within two with 21 minutes left in regulation before the Bucs answered with five of the game's six goals in a span of ten minutes beginning late in the third quarter.

While Eastern had won only one of six road matches heading into the game, it was a golden opportunity to improve that mark against a Mass Maritime team which had won only one of five games this year at Clean Harbors Stadium.

If Eastern splits its final two LEC contests  – Saturday at home against defending champion and current conference unbeaten UMass Boston (6-0 LEC) and April 29 at the University of Southern Maine (1-4 LEC) – Mass Maritime would, unofficially, need to lose its final three for the Warriors to finish as the No. 4 seed and secure a first-round LEC tournament home match.

The Bucs visit WestConn (4-1 LEC) Saturday, host Salem State University (0-5) April 26 and close out at Castleton University (1-4) April 29. WestConn lost the LEC battle of unbeatens Wednesday, 23-14, at UMass Boston.

Wednesday, Mitchell Maida and Nick Lamattina combined for nine goals and Sean Lally needed only five saves to power Mass Maritime to its third conference in in the last four games (the loss in that stretch, a 20-9 home one to UMass Boston).

Mass Maritime became the second opponent to pile up as many as 60 shots against Eastern this year, doubling the Warriors' total of 30, nearly doubling Eastern's ground ball total (45-26) and winning 15 of 27 faceoffs.

Despite allowing ten extra-man opportunities, Eastern's man-down unit surrendering only two goals which came eight minutes apart during the Bucs' six-goal second period.

As has most often been the case this year, a young Eastern team was paced offensively by first-year attacking players, with Brycen Kennedy (Southington) and Quinn O'Connor (Glastonbury) combining for six goals and an assist. With 16 goals in his last four matches, Kennedy reached the 30-goal plateau this year with four goals and O'Connor matched Kennedy's season point total of 39 with two goals and an assist. Sophomore attack Zacharie Appolon (Stamford) had two assists to go along with a goal, giving him a share of the team lead with O'Connor with 16 assists.

Making his fourth straight start, first-semester goalie Sam Davies (Newington) made 14 saves – one shy of his season/career high. In his second start, first-year faceoff man Rick O'Neal (East Hartford) won 12 of 25 at the X and picked up six ground balls, with junior long stick Domenic Scarano (Berlin) causing three turnovers and picking up three ground balls, and junior defenseman Ryan Stocks (Longmeadow, MA) winning six ground balls and causing two turnovers.