McCarthy and Perretta each score their first goal of the season for the Ravens

Boxscore

WINCHENDON, Mass. (November 17, 2007) – Wentworth Institute of Technology scored once in each period and then held off host Franklin Pierce in the third frame as the Leopards defeated the Ravens, 3-2, in ECAC Northeast Conference men’s hockey action on Saturday afternoon at the Winchendon School Ice Arena.

Junior Russ Hanson (Braintree, Mass./Bridgewater) recorded the game-winning goal, his first of the season, 5:54 into the third period for the Leopards. The visitors also received goals from Andrew Affronti (Nesconset, N.Y./Bridgewater) and Matt Gilman (Groveland, Mass./Hebron Academy), with Gilman adding an assist for a game-high two points.

Sophomore Joe McCarthy (Whitman, Mass./Boston Jr. Blackhawks) recorded the Ravens’ first goal of the game at the 12:28 mark of the opening period, while classmate Rob Perretta (Staten Island, N.Y./Brockville Tiki’s) added his first of the year in the third period as the home team attempted to complete its comeback.

Both goaltenders also played very well on the day, as Wentworth freshman Andrew Ricci (Waltham, Mass./Boston Harbor Wolves) made his first career start and turned away 32-of-34 shots to earn his first collegiate victory. Franklin Pierce senior Spencer Utman (Brockville, Ontario/SUNY-Canton) returned to the net for the Ravens and made 29 saves.

The teams began the day by trading goals in an evenly-played first period. The Ravens jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 12:28 mark thanks to McCarthy’s first goal of the season. The sophomore took a pass in the high slot off the stick of senior captain Ben Reynolds (Wallingford, Pa./Green Mountain Glades) and walked in alone on Ricci, beating the goaltender low to the far post. Wentworth responded just over three minutes later, however, as Gilman corralled the rebound of a shot by Jeff Fedyk (Calgary, Alberta/Powell River) and found the open portion of the net from the left side.

Wentworth controlled play in the second period, holding a 15-8 shot advantage and scoring the period’s lone goal, once again off a rebound. Affronti was the recipient of a second chance this time, as he converted the carom of Gilman’s original shot in front by slipping the puck under Utman’s pads. The Ravens nearly regained the lead six minutes earlier, but a Raven goal off a prolonged scramble in front of the net was called off after it was ruled a Raven player threw the puck into the net.

Franklin Pierce came out firing in the final period, out-shooting Wentworth by a 15-8 margin, but an early goal by Hanson just under six minutes into the period provided the Leopards with a two-goal margin. The Ravens closed the gap to one on the power play, as Perretta’s slap shot from the left point found the top right corner at 12:03, but the team could not find the equalizer in the waning minutes despite a late power-play chance for the home team.

Franklin Pierce (1-4-0, 0-2-0 ECAC NE) will return to action tomorrow in search of its first conference victory of the season as the team hosts Johnson & Wales in ECAC Northeast action beginning at 4:30 p.m. Wentworth (3-2-0, 3-1-0 ECAC NE) continues its four-game road trip on Tuesday with a non-conference game against Connecticut College.