Fields breaks Franklin Pierce’s all-time points record with first-period assist

Boxscore

WINCHENDON, Mass. (December 5, 2007) – Nichols College scored six of its season-high eight goals on the power play as the visiting Bison took down Franklin Pierce University by a score of 8-3 in a non-conference men’s ice hockey match on Wednesday night at the Winchendon School Ice Arena.

Four Bison skaters recorded four or more points on Wednesday, led by the three goals and three assists from junior Anthony Monte (Chicago, Ill./Chicago Force). Classmate Cole Ruwe (Pekin, Ill./Peoria Mustangs) also had an a hat trick and added two assists for five points, while fellow junior Ryan Gervais (Chicago, Ill./Chicago Force) had a goal and four assists. Sophomore Zeke Costello (Shelby Township, Mich./Traverse City North Stars) also had a big game for the Bison, recording assists on four of the team’s goals.

Nichols was lethal on the power play, as Monte and Ruwe combined for six power-play tallies. The Bison went 6-for-9 (66.7 percent) on the power play on the night, while Franklin Pierce could only convert on two of its 14 man-advantage opportunities (14.3 percent).

Juniors Coursen Schneider (Stony Point, N.Y./Avon Old Farms) and Kyle Kruse (Sagamore Beach, Mass./Bourne) and sophomore Joe McCarthy (Whitman, Mass./Boston Jr. Blackhawks) each recorded tallies for the Ravens in the contest, with Schneider and McCarthy finding the net in the third period.

Senior captain Joe Fields (Towamencin, Pa./Green Mountain Glades) recorded an assist on Kruse’s first-period tally, and by doing so became the school’s all-time leader in career points with 68, breaking a tie with former teammate Brian DelSavio ’07. The senior has scored 28 goals with 40 assists in his career, and ranks second in assists and third in points all-time at Franklin Pierce.

Nichols junior netminder Keith Fink (Easton, Md./Collingwood Blues) earned the win by making 36 saves, as the Ravens outshot the Bison, 39-31 – including 15-7 in the third period. Freshman Matt McCarthy (Natick, Mass./New Hampton School) got the start for Franklin Pierce and allowed five goals on 13 shots in just over one period of play before ceding the net to classmate Jeremy Rossignolo (Rochester, N.Y./Springfield Pics), who stopped 15-of-18 shots over the final 34:24.

The Ravens scored the first goal of the evening only 5:33 into the game on the power play, as Kruse fired a shot from the blue line that found its way through a screen and past Fink. Junior Jeff Kasper (South Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial) and Fields were credited with the assists on the goal, Kruse’s first of the season.

The Bison responded strongly, however, scoring the next eight goals of the game – with five coming on the power play – to take control of the matchup. Monte began the surge with his sixth of the season and first of the game at the 8:18 mark, tipping in a cross-ice pass from Gervais at the top of the crease.

After Gervais put home a pass from Monte to give the Bison a 2-1 lead, Nichols scored three power-play goals in 36 seconds to put distance between the two squads. Possessing a five-on-four advantage, Ruwe converted from the left circle with three seconds remaining in the first period to send the team into the first intermission with a 3-1 edge. Nichols then scored twice in the first 33 seconds of the second period while holding a two-man advantage, as Monte and Ruwe each scored their second goals of the night only 22 seconds apart.

The duo later bookended the third period with their third goals of the night, with McCarthy and Schneider adding tallies for the Ravens at 10:06 and 14:14 of the final period, respectively, to account for the final score.

Franklin Pierce (2-7-0, 1-4-0 ECAC NE, 0-0-0 NE-10), will begin Northeast-10 Conference play on Saturday night, when the Ravens take on Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt., beginning at 7 p.m. Nichols (7-2-1, 1-1-0 ECAC NE) will take on ECAC Northeast foe Plymouth State College on Sunday at 8 p.m.