Fields records his program-best third career hat trick in the win

Boxscore

CROOKSTON, Minn. (December 28, 2007) – Senior captain Joe Fields (Towamencin, Pa./Green Mountain Glades) recorded his school-record third career hat trick to lead the Franklin Pierce University men’s ice hockey team to a 5-1 victory over the University of Minnesota-Crookston in a non-conference contest on Friday evening at the Crookston Civic Arena.

Fields led all scorers with three goals, scoring once in each period, including the game-winner midway through the second period and an empty-net tally in the final minute of the third. Freshman Sean Woodring (Rogue River, Ore./Eugene Generals) also tied his season-high with three points by recording a season-best three assists, while junior Jeff Kasper (South Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial) and senior captain Pete Wilson (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) also scored for the Ravens in the final frame.

Freshman netminder Jeremy Rossignolo (Rochester, N.Y./Springfield Pics) improved his record on the season to 2-2-0 by making 28 saves on 29 shots for the Ravens. In net for the Golden Eagles, sophomore Justin Klinkhammer (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln) took the loss by giving up two goals on 14 shots in the first 30:39 of play before giving way to Eric Everson (Stevens Point, Wisc./Minnesota State-Bottineau), who stopped 17 of 19 attempts.

The senior captain began the scoring at the 16:48 mark of the opening period with his seventh goal of the season, as he connected off passes from Woodring and Kasper to beat Klinkhammer. He then gave the Ravens a two-goal advantage at 10:39 of the middle frame, scoring the eventual game-winner from freshman Eric Spalt (Barnstable, Mass./New Hampton School) and junior Shane Murphy (Tolland, Conn./The Gunnery School).

Minnesota-Crookston’s Teal Plaine (Tallock, Minn./Kittson Central) brought the home team back to within one less than a minute later with his second tally of the season, but the Ravens closed the door with three special teams goals in the final period.

Just over three minutes into the third period, Kasper notched his fourth goal of the season – all coming on the power play – with the help of Woodring and junior Kyle Kruse (Sagamore Beach, Mass./Bourne) to regain the team’s two-goal edge. Wilson then recorded his fifth man-advantage tally of the year (tying him for the team lead) at the 12:52 mark, with assists going to sophomore Rob Perretta (Staten Island, N.Y./Brockville Tiki's) and Woodring.

Fields capped the evening with an empty net goal with 25 seconds left in the game, giving him a hat trick for the third consecutive season. With his three goals, Fields increased his school-record point total to 71 and moved to within three goals of former teammate Brian DelSavio’s program record of 34.

Franklin Pierce (3-9-0) will return to ECAC Northeast Conference play on Jan. 4 at Becker College, with the puck dropping at 8:30 p.m. Minnesota-Crookston (3-10-0) next takes to the ice on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. against Northland.