Siok makes 33 saves for Ravens

Box Score

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 10, 2009) – Senior forward Ryan Gervais (Chicago, Ill./Chicago Force (CSHL)) scored a goal and added two assists on Saturday night to lead Nichols to a 5-2 victory over the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in ECAC Northeast Conference play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Freshman goaltender Ben Siok (Holden, Mass./St. John’s Shrewsbury) made 33 saves for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

Franklin Pierce jumped out to a 2-0 lead within the first six minutes of the game. Senior forward Coursen Schneider (Stony Point, N.Y./Avon (Conn.) Old Farms) opened the scoring 3:19 into the contest with his first goal of the season when he rifled home a shot from the bottom of the right circle off an assist from junior forward Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding). Just 2:09 later, junior defenseman Rob Perretta (Staten Island, N.Y./Stanstead College (Quebec)) sprung senior forward Jay Stempniak (West Seneca, N.Y./St. Francis HS) on a rush with a pass up the right side. Stempniak unleashed a slap shot from the top of the right circle which found the net to give the Ravens a 2-0 lead and Stempniak his second score of the campaign. The goal chased Nichols starter, senior goaltender Keith Fink (Easton, Md./Collingwood Blues (OPJHL)), from the game in favor of freshman Mike Davis (Monroe, Mich./Tulsa Rampage (WSHL)) just 5:28 into the game.

After the remainder of the first and over 11 minutes of the second period passed with no further scoring, Nichols scored three times in a span of 2:46 to take a lead it would not relinquish. First, Gervais cut the deficit to 2-1 at the 11:51 mark with his eighth goal of the season as he got open in the high slot and one-timed home a pass from junior forward Eric Cremer (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea). At the 13:59 mark, junior forward Zeke Costello (Shelby Township, Mich./Traverse City North Stars (NAHL)) tied the game at 2-2 with a power play marker from the right circle, with assists credited to senior defenseman Jeff Bieber (Littleton, Colo./Cincinnati Cobras (CSHL)) and Gervais. Just 38 seconds later, a slick passing play set up the third Bison goal of the period. Cremer sent the puck from the left half-boards into the left corner. From there, sophomore forward Will Munson (Corona, Calif./Seguin Bruins (OPJHL)) took the puck behind the net and flipped a centering feed to freshman forward Andrew Ella (Schomberg, Ontario) who slammed home the game-winning goal, his fifth tally of the season.

Nichols added a pair of insurance markers in the third period. On the power play at the 1:06 mark, senior forward Anthony Monte (Chicago, Ill./Chicago Force (CSHL)) scored his seventh of the season with a snap shot from the top of the right circle off assists from Gervais and sophomore forward JoJo Bojanowski (Washington Township, Mich./Markham Waxers (OPJHL)). Costello capped the scoring at the 5:33 mark with his second of the game and sixth of the season when he finished a 2-on-1 rush. Sophomore forward Matt Sayer (Lowell, Mass./New England Huskies (EJHL)) set up the goal, while Bojanowski picked up an assist with the pass that started the rush.

Nichols held a 38-15 edge in shots on goal in the game and went 2-for-7 on the power play. Franklin Pierce finished 0-for-6 with the man advantage.

Siok made 33 saves in net and took the loss for Franklin Pierce. Fink made one save for Nichols before being replaced, while Davis made 12 saves the rest of the way to tally the victory.

The Ravens (3-6-2, 1-0-0 Northeast-10, 2-4-2 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Tuesday, Jan. 13, when they host Saint Michael’s in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The Winchendon School Ice Arena in Winchendon, Mass. Nichols (14-1-0, 9-0-0 ECAC Northeast) returns to action on Jan. 11 at home against Manhattanville.