Sean Woodring scores twice for Ravens

Box Score

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 23, 2009) – Freshman forward Chris Zaremba (Colorado Springs, Colo./Portland Jr. Pirates) scored twice, including the game-winning goal, on Monday night to lead Plymouth State to a 4-3 victory over the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in ECAC Northeast Conference play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Sophomore forward Sean Woodring (Rogue River, Ore./Rogue River) scored twice for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

The two squads traded goals in the first 5:35 of the game. Plymouth State struck first, at the 1:49 mark when Zaremba sent a floater from the high slot which found its way through traffic and into the net. Sophomore forward Seth McQuade (Manchester, N.H./N.H. Monarchs) and freshman defenseman Chris Mohar (Bloomfield, Colo./Portland Jr. Pirates) provided the assists on Zaremba’s 12th of the season. Just under four minutes later, Woodring struck for his fourth of the season from between the circles on a feed from the left corner by senior forward Jeff Kasper (South Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial), while freshman defenseman Michael King (Center Conway, N.H./Laconia Leafs (AJHL)) added the secondary assist.

Plymouth State took a 2-1 lead on the power play at the 11:59 mark of the first period, when sophomore forward Sean Buckley (Sagamore, Mass./Lawrence Academy) stuffed home a rebound at the top of the crease. Senior forwards Dave Dufresne (Dracut, Mass./SUNY Brockport) and Chris Cantara (Pelham, N.H./SUNY Brockport) added the assists on Buckley’s 11th of the year.

The two teams would then trade four goals over a span of 5:50 in the third period. Cantara gave Plymouth State a 3-1 lead with his third of the season at the 5:29 mark on a shorthanded breakaway. The Panthers would push the lead to 4-1 just 1:13 later when Zaremba banged home the rebound of a McQuade shot while sophomore defenseman Tommy Woods (Nashua, N.H./Nashua North) added an assist as well.

Franklin Pierce would answer with two goals to create the 4-3 final. On the power play at the 8:37 mark, junior forward Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) pounced on the rebound of a shot by King. Freshman forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass./Williston Northampton) also added an assist on Goodell’s seventh of the year. Woodring then scored his second of the game with a shot through traffic from the left point. Senior forward Jay Stempniak (West Seneca, N.Y./St. Francis HS) and Kasper assisted as the whole line chipped in on the goal.

Franklin Pierce held a 37-31 advantage in shots on goal and went 1-for-8 on the power play, but gave up a shorthanded goal as well. Plymouth State finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

Junior goaltender Aaron Runner (Alpharetta, Ga./Boston Bulldogs) made 34 saves in net for Plymouth State to earn the victory. Sophomore Matt McCarthy (Natick, Mass./New Hampton School) started between the pipes for Franklin Pierce, made 11 saves against 15 shots and took the loss. Junior Jon Tuttle (Concord, N.H./Concord) took over after the fourth Plymouth State goal and stopped all 16 shots he faced the rest of the way.

The Ravens (5-17-2, 2-3-0 Northeast-10, 4-11-2 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Saturday, Feb. 28, in the first round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships against an opponent to be determined. Plymouth State concludes its season at 11-12-2 (7-8-2 ECAC Northeast).