DelSavio notches a team-best three points in Ravens loss

FITCHBURG, Mass. (Jan. 5, 2006) - The Franklin Pierce Ice Hockey team suffered a tough 7-3 loss to Fitchburg State College in ECAC Northeast  Conference action tonight at the Wallace Civic Center. Junior Mike Dryer (Rockland, Mass./Bay State Breakers) led the Falcons, totaling a game-high four points, on two goals and two assists.  

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the first period, as junior Brian DelSavio (Orangeburg, N.Y./Pearl River) scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season at 14:31 off assists from senior tri-captain Mark Gibbons (Quincy, Mass./Archbishop Williams) and junior C.J. Demmons (Wolfeboro, N.H./ Kimball Union).

The Ravens would take a 2-0 lead just five minutes into the second period, as senior tri-captain Jason Pierce (Maynard, Mass./Nashoba Regional) notched his first goal of the season off feeds from Gibbons and DelSavio.

Fitchburg State would rally back, scoring six unanswered goals in the second and third periods to secure the victory. Junior Stephen Schofield (Valley Village, Calif./Bay State Breakers) found the net first to start the scoring explosion for the Falcons. Dryer added two goals and two assists through this stretch, while senior Michael McSweeny (Canton, Mass./Blue Hills Regional) junior Jason Ledo (Somerset, Mass./Somerset) and sophomore Michael Goulet (Blackstone, Mass./SUNYU-Canton) added one goal a piece

Franklin Pierce freshman forward Courson Schneider (New York, N.Y./Avon Old Farms) added a third period goal for the Ravens off assists from classmate Jeff Kasper (South Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial) and DelSavio, but Fitchburg State senior goaltender Kevin Dodier (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury) would make seven saves in the third period to hold off the Ravens for the rest of the match.

Fitchburg State tallied 42 shots on net, while Franklin Pierce recorded 24 shots. Ravens senior goaltender Dennis Millman (Billerica, Mass./Kimball Union) stopped 35 shots in net, while Dodier notched 24 saves for the Falcons.

Franklin Pierce (1-9-2, 0-5-1 ECAC NE, and 1-3-0 NE-10) will be in action on Saturday as it hosts Western New England College at 7 p.m. This match will be held at Cushing Academy. Fitchburg State College (8-4-1, 3-1-0 ECAC NE) will travel to Nichols College on Sunday for a match starting at 8 p.m.

GAME STATISTICS

Fitchburg State 7, Franklin Pierce 3
Fitchburg State (8-4-1, 3-1-0 ECAC NE)                    0          3          4          7
Franklin Pierce (1-9-2, 0-5-1 ECAC NE)                    1          1          1          3

Scoring Summary
First Period: FP: Brian DelSavio (Mark Gibbons, C.J. Demmons), 14:31
Second Period: FP: Jason Pierce (Gibbons, DelSavio), 5:00; FSC: Stephen Schofield (Mike Dryer), 6:34; FSC: Michael McSweeny (Dan Quirbach, Ross Goff), 7:43; FSC: Dryer (Schofield, Dave Kaloustian), 9:02;
Third Period: FSC: Michael Goulet (Dryer), 0:33; FSC: Dryer (Schofield), 5:27; Jason Ledo (Wayne Bonkowski), 8:48; FP: Courson Schneider (Jeff Kasper, DelSavio), 11:15; FSC: John Coutts (Matt Arsenault), 16:58;
Goaltenders:
FP: Dennis Millman (60:00), 35 saves
FSC: Kevin Dodier (60:00), 24 saves
Stars
1^st Star - Mike Dryer (FSC)
2^nd Star- Stephen Schofield (FSC)
3^rd Star- Steve Moore (FP)