Gibbons Lifts Ravens Past Golden Bears in the Third

WINCHENDON, MASS. (Jan. 26, 2004) - The Franklin Pierce ice hockey team was able to avenge a 7-3 loss earlier from in January to Western New England college, as the Ravens captured a 6-4 win over the Golden Bears in ECAC Northeast action tonight at the Robinson-Broadhurst Community Arena.

Junior alternate captain Mark Gibbons (Quincy, Mass./Archbishop Williams) tallied the game-winning goal along with an assist for the Ravens, while freshmen C.J. Demmons (Wolfeboro, N.H./Kimball Union),  Brian DelSavio (Orangeburg, N.Y./Pearl River) and Mike Anderson (Keene, N.H./Laconia Leafs) chipped in with two points each, Demmons and DelSavio on a goal and an assist and Anderson on two assists. Robert Pendola (Everett, Mass./Mass Mariners), Shawn Dooley (Rockland, Mass./Archbishop Williams) and Ed Farinato (Medford, Mass./Bay State Breakers) all contributed goals and Matt Groh (West Palm Beach, Fla./Laconia Leafs) and Matt Clemente (Middletown, N.J./Laconia Leafs) each tallied assists in the win.

For the Golden Bears, freshman Mike Amato (Mt. Laurel, N.J./New Jersey Jaguars) totaled three points on a goal and two assist and junior Matt Cassaro (E. Bridgewater, Mass./Archbishop Williams) led all scorers with two goals for two points.

The Ravens were quickly down 2-0 in the first period as Tevia Arlidge (Kihei, Hawaii/San Jose State) and Cassaro converted on power play opportunities for the Golden Bears at 6:47 and 12:48, respectively. DelSavio was able to bring Franklin Pierce within a goal as he put in his second of the year on a pass from Demmons and Anderson at 13:46. WNEC took back the two goal lead, however, at 16:06, making it 3-1 in favor of the Golden Bears after one period of play.

Two quick goals from Dooley and Demmons at 8:31 and 8:55 into the second stanza tied the score at 3-3, but once again WNEC took a lead to the locker room as Amato knocked in a power play goal at 11:56.

The third period belonged to the Ravens with three unanswered power play goals. Farinato converted on the team’s first man advantage of the period from Clemente and Groh at 1:11 and Gibbons sent a laser into the top of the net to give Franklin Pierce its first lead of the game at 6:52 in the stanza. Pendola rounded out the scoring and sealed the victory for the Ravens with his fifth of the season from Gibbons at with just under four minutes to play in regulation.

Ravens goaltenderDennis Millman (Billerica, Mass./Kimball Union) stopped 37 shots in net to earn his first collegiate win and sophomore Brian Essig (Saddle Brook, N.J./Utah Valley Jr. Golden Eagles) made 27 saves and suffered the loss.

Franklin Pierce (3-12, 2-10 ECAC Northeast, 0-4 NE-10) next hosts Worcester State on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

Franklin Pierce 6, Western New England 4
 

Second Period: FPC, Shawn Dooley (unassisted) 8:31; FPC, C.J. Demmons (DelSavio) 8:55; WNEC, Amato (unassisted) 11:56 PP.

Third Period:  FPC, Ed Farinato (Matt Clemente, Matt Groh) 1:11 PP; FPC,  Mark Gibbons (Mike Anderson) 6:52 PP; FPC, Robert Pendola (Gibbons) 16:18 PP. 

Goaltenders: FPC, Millman, 60:00, 37 saves; WNEC, Essig, 59:32, 27 saves.