Henniker, N.H. - The Spartans faced a familiar opponent on Saturday night, matching up with New England College in the ECAC East Quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive year. After a controversial overtime period, Castleton earned a 3-2 victory over NEC to advance to their fourth straight ECAC East Semifinal.

The Pilgrims had a goal waved off with just over five minutes remaining in the final period. About a minute later, Ryan Frost netted the game-winner, sending the Spartan bench vaulting over the boards to celebrate their fourth postseason victory in three years. 

Thomas Shelley finished with 32 saves to earn the win in net, his third career postseason victory. Shelley won a pair of postseason games for the Spartans in 2012 when they made a run to the ECAC East Finals. Sebastian Anderson finished with 45 saves for the Pilgrims. 

In the first period, the Spartans jumped out to an early lead. Ryan Delorme found Derek Gingera just 1:35 into the game to put Castleton ahead 1-0 in the early-going. Nearly 10 minutes later, Gingera found the net again, this time for a short-handed goal. Colin Murray earned an assist on the play, putting the Spartans ahead 2-0. With just over five minutes remaining in the frame, Garrett Brazzier cut the Spartans' advantage with a power play goal, making the score 2-1 at the first intermission.

Castleton outshot the Pilgrims 13-6 in the second frame and continued to pressure the fourth seed into mistakes. The Spartans had a pair of power-play chances due to NEC penalties, but failed to convert on both as the teams skated into the second intermission with Castleton still leading 2-1.

In the third, Brazzier struck again for the Pilgrims, notching his second goal of the game. Cheyne Matheson found the sophomore on the power-play, giving Brazzier his second man-advantage tally of the evening to draw the score even at 2-2. Both teams had ample chances in the final 15 minutes of play, but neither could convert and the two squads skated to an overtime frame.

The extra period proved to be the most exciting hockey of the night. The pace accelerated and the ice opened up as both teams found several quality opportunities to score. With just under six minutes remaining, New England College launched a 2-on-1 breakaway. Cheyne Matheson skated the puck to the right slot and dished to a wide open Kyle Manlow. The puck glanced off Manlow's skate and into the net. The Pilgrims thought they had tallied the game-winner, but the referee immediately waved off the goal, calling it a kicking motion from Manlow.

With the score still at 2-2, the momentum began to shift. Castleton won the ensuing faceoff and drove the puck into the Pilgrims' zone. Just over a minute after the waved-off goal, the Spartans struck gold. Ryan Frost finished off a rebound that bounced away from Anderson to propel the Spartans to a 3-2 win.

The Spartans improve to 12-10-3 on the year and will advance to the ECAC East semifinal round to face top-seeded Norwich on Saturday, March 1.