Freshman Robbie Deleo nets game winner in final minutes of regulation

WINCHENDON, MASS. (Feb. 5, 2003) - Freshman Robbie Deleo netted the game winning goal with just three minutes left in regulation to lift Framingham State, 4-3, over Franklin Pierce in ECAC Northeast ice hockey action at the Robinson-Broadhurst Community Rink this evening.

Deleo converted a pretty pass from classmate Greg Brogan and beat junior Andy Tinti (Buffalo, N.Y./SUNY-Canton) out front to give the Rams their second Conference win.

Junior Roger LeBlanc led the Rams with two goals, while freshman John Lagueux registered a goal and an assist. Classmate Ross O'Driscoll dished a pair of assists in the win.

Franklin Pierce freshman Matt Clemente (Middletown, N.J./Laconia Leafs) posted a goal and an assist, while classmateRobert Pendola (Everett, Mass./Mass. Mariners) recorded two assists.

The Rams got on the board first at the 14:28 mark of the opening stanza when LeBlanc took a pass from Lagueux and ripped a shot from the blue line to go up by one.

The Ravens evened things up just five minutes later as freshman Dan McLaughlin (Medford, Mass./Boston Harbor Wolves) scored on a slap shot from the right point. The team extended its lead to two as Clemente netted his tenth of the year from freshman Shawn Dooley (Rockland, Mass./Archbishop Williams) and Pendola midway through the second.

Lagueux answered at the 17:56 mark of the second as he picked up a rebound off of the initial shot by Brogan to knot the score at two a piece. LeBlanc tacked on another tally minutes later, but the Ravens refused to go away, as sophomore Jason Pierce (Maynard, Mass./Nashoba Regional) scored on the breakaway to tie the game 3-3.

Deleo then netted the game winner and make the final, Framingham State 4, Franklin Pierce 3.

Tinti made 27 saves in net for the Ravens, while Framingham State netminder, Bryce Guilbeaut (Acushnet, Mass./Bridgton Academy) turned away 29 shots for the win.

Franklin Pierce (0-18-1, 0-13-1 ECAC NE) next travels to UMass-Dartmouth for an ECAC Northeast Conference game at 4:30 p.m.

Framingham State 4, Franklin Pierce 3