Shane Murphy tallies goal, assist for Ravens

Box Score

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 14, 2009) – Freshman forward Tim Mathews (Mattapoisett, Mass./Phillips Exeter) collected a goal and an assist on Saturday night to lead Stonehill to a 6-3 win over the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in Northeast-10 Conference and ECAC Northeast Conference play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Senior forward Shane Murphy (Tolland, Conn./The Gunnery School) tallied a goal and an assist for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

Franklin Pierce opened the game with a pair of goals in the first period. The first score came just 61 seconds in when freshman forward Nate Schursky (Scottsdale, Ariz./Eugene Generals (NPHL)) stuffed home a loose puck from the top of the crease for his second goal of the season, while junior forward Phil LaBreck (Thornton, N.H./John Stark Regional) and senior forward Coursen Schneider (Stony Point, N.Y./Avon (Conn.) Old Farms) picked up the assists. Later, at the 13:54 mark, Murphy took a shot from the left circle and junior forward Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) pounced on the rebound to tally his sixth goal of the season. Freshman forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass./Williston Northampton) also picked up an assist on the play.

Stonehill would bring the game to a 2-2 tie with two goals in the second period. First, freshman forward Andrew Diozzi (Belmont, Mass./Deerfield) stuffed in his fifth of the season from the left post. Senior defenseman Bill Ninteau (Litchfield, N.H./Bishop Guertin) picked up the assist on the power-play goal at the 7:12 mark. Later, the Skyhawks caught Franklin Pierce on a line change and came into the zone with a two-man partial breakaway. Senior forward John Sommers (Manchester, Conn./Kent School) scored his fifth of the season as he finished off a feed from sophomore forward Angelo Todesca (Westwood, Mass./Catholic Memorial) at the 12:57 mark.

Stonehill struck for a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal just 41 seconds into the third stanza when junior forward Peter Roundy (Simsbury, Conn./Kimball Union) scored his fifth of the year with a blast from the point on a pass from senior defenseman James Florentino (West Roxbury, Mass./Xaverian Brothers). Franklin Pierce tied the game at 3-3 at the 10:04 mark when Murphy scored his eighth of the year by re-directing a shot by sophomore forward Sean Woodring (Rogue River, Ore./Rogue River), while sophomore defenseman J.P. Gasparrini (Medway, Mass./Medway) picked up the secondary assist.

From there, Stonehill took control of the game with two goals in 29 seconds. First, at the 12:04 mark, senior defenseman David Schermerhorn (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) scored his second of the year from the right point on assists from Mathews and Ninteau. Then, at the 12:33 mark, senior forward Brendan O’Brien (Braintree, Mass./Deerfield) picked up his fifth of the year when he converted a drop pass between the circles from freshman forward Pat Greene (Weymouth, Mass./Catholic Memorial), while senior forward Frank Amato (West Springfield, Mass./Springfield Cathedral) picked up an assist as well. Mathews added an insurance goal, his second of the year, at the 14:47 mark with a backhand shot off a feed from junior defenseman Chris Rogers (Westford, Mass./Pomfret School).

Stonehill held a 38-33 advantage in shots on goal and went 2-for-6 on the power play. Franklin Pierce finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

Sophomore goaltender Derek Chapdelaine (Granby, Mass./Springfield Cathedral) made 30 saves in net for Stonehill to earn the victory. Freshman Ben Siok (Holden, Mass./St. John’s Shrewsbury) made 33 saves between the pipes for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

The Ravens (5-15-2, 1-4-0 NE-10, 4-9-2 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Monday, Feb. 14, when host Fitchburg State in an ECAC Northeast Conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Stonehill (8-9-0, 1-1-0 NE-10, 6-7-0 ECAC Northeast) returns to action on Feb. 18 at Southern New Hampshire.