Murphy notches hat trick

Box Score

WINCHENDON, Mass. (January 24, 2009) – Junior forward Mike Caprio (Valencia, Calif./Michigan Black Bears) scored twice and added a pair of assists on Saturday night to lead Becker to an 11-3 victory over the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in ECAC Northeast Conference play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Senior forward Shane Murphy (Tolland, Conn./The Gunnery School) scored all three Franklin Pierce goals to tally a hat trick in defeat.

Becker scored the first four goals of the game, including three in the first period, and never looked back. Senior defenseman John Nogatch (Seattle, Wash./Wayne State) scored the first two goals of the game, one at the top of the crease on the power play at the 5:56 mark of the first period and the second shorthanded from the top of the left circle at the 8:03 mark. The goals were the sixth and seventh of the season for Nogatch. Junior forward Jared Kersner (Rockville, Mo./N.J. Rockets) also scored his seventh of the season for the Hawks on a shorthanded breakaway at the 12:34 mark.

Patrick Bellew scored the eventual game-winning goal when he deflected home the shot of freshman defenseman Jeremy Norducci (Apex, N.C./Queen City Steam (CSHL)) on the power play 67 seconds into the second period. Norducci would finish with four points on a goal and three assists for the Hawks.

Murphy followed with his first of three goals on the evening 6:17 into the second period when the puck ricocheted to him in the right circle with the goaltender out of the net. Murphy found the empty cage for his second goal of the season. However, Becker would score three goals in the final 4:10 of the period to take a commanding, 7-1 lead after two periods.

After Becker pushed the lead all the way to 11-1 in the third period, Murphy completed the hat trick with a pair of power play goals. First, he scored from the high slot on a 5-on-3 advantage at the 13:33 mark, with assists going to freshman forward Pat Shortt (North Branford, Conn./So. Conn. Stars) and junior defenseman Rob Perretta (Staten Island, N.Y./Stanstead College (Quebec)). Just 20 seconds later, Murphy scored from the top of the right circle off a feed from freshman defenseman Michael King (Center Conway, N.H./Laconia Leafs (AJHL)).

Becker finished with a 29-28 edge in shots on goal and went 5-for-7 on the power play. Franklin Pierce posted a 2-for-7 mark with the man-advantage.

Junior goaltender Tony Stoehr (DePere, Wisc./River Falls) started in net, stopped 21 of 22 shots sent his way and posted the victory in net for Becker. Freshmen Mike Forcillo (Winthrop, Mass./Hoosac School) and Brad Jolleymore (Ashland, Mass./Mass-Bay CC) combined to make four saves against five shots over the game’s final 12:05. Freshman Ben Siok (Holden, Mass./St. John’s Shrewsbury) started in net for Franklin Pierce and took the loss after finishing with nine saves against 14 shots. Junior Jon Tuttle (Concord, N.H./Concord) made nine saves against 12 shots, while sophomore Matt McCarthy (Natick, Mass./New Hampton School) stopped one of the four shots sent his way.

The Ravens (5-9-2, 1-1-0 NE-10, 4-6-2 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Thursday, Jan. 29, when they travel to Worcester State for an ECAC Northeast Conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Horgan Memorial Rink in Auburn, Mass. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Feb. 12 against Southern New Hampshire at 7 p.m. Becker (8-11-0, 6-5-0 ECAC Northeast) returns to action on Jan. 28 at home against Fitchburg State.