Ice Hockey Downs Western New England, 3-2, In Overtime
Stempniak tallies goal, assist for Ravens
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Shane Murphy scored the game-winning goal in overtime on Tuesday
night at Western New England.SPRINGFIELD, Mass (December 2, 2008)
– Senior forward Shane
Murphy (Tolland, Conn./The Gunnery School) scored the
game-winning goal 1:26 into overtime on Tuesday night to give the
Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team a 3-2 victory over
Western New England in ECAC Northeast Conference play at Smead
Arena. Senior forward Jay
Stempniak (West Seneca, N.Y./St. Francis HS) collected a
goal and an assist for the Ravens, while four different players
tallied one point each for the Golden Bears in defeat.
After a scoreless first period, WNEC opened the scoring on the
power play at the 7:46 mark of the second stanza. Sophomore forward
Vin Weyel (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) notched his second goal
of the season on an assist from senior defenseman Joe Balog
(Ludlow, Mass./Ludlow). The remainder of the second period would go
without another goal before the teams combined for a trio of scores
in the third frame.
Franklin Pierce briefly knotted the game at 1-1 on a goal by
Stempniak at the 2:13 mark of the third. Stempniak’s first of
the season came off assists from graduate forward Ryan Strayer (Murfreesboro, Tenn./New England
Jr. Coyotes) and freshman forward Pat Shortt (North Branford, Conn./Southern
Conn. Stars). Just 3:37 later, senior defenseman Jake
Rinaldo (Union, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) gave WNEC a 2-1 lead when he
scored his first of the year off a feed from senior forward Mike
Majesty (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy). Once again, Franklin Pierce
would tie the game, this time on a power-play goal by freshman
forward Anthony Chighisola
(Whitman, Mass./Archbishop Williams) with just 1:16 to play
in regulation. Senior forward Jeff
Kasper (South Boston, Mass./Catholic Memorial) and sophomore
defenseman J.P. Gasparrini
(Medway, Mass./Medway) notched assists on Chighisola’s
fourth goal of the campaign.
Murphy would net the game-winner on the power play at the 1:26 mark
of the extra frame. Stempniak and senior forward Josh Lupinek (East Haddam, Conn./Hartford Jr.
Wolf Pack) assisted on Murphy’s first score of the
season as the Ravens picked up their first ECAC Northeast win of
the year.
Franklin Pierce held a 31-23 edge in shots on goal and went
2-for-11 on the power play. WNEC finished 1-for-6 with the man
advantage.
Junior goaltender Jon Tuttle
(Concord, N.H./Concord) made 21 saves in net for Franklin
Pierce to earn the victory. Junior Dennis Harrsch (Morrisonville,
N.Y./Saranac) made 28 saves between the pipes in a losing effort
for WNEC.
The Ravens (2-4-1, 1-0-0 Northeast-10, 2-3-1 ECAC Northeast) return
to the ice on Friday, Dec. 5, when they travel to Morrisville State
for a non-conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at
Morrisville State College IcePlex in Morrisville, N.Y. Franklin
Pierce next plays at home on Friday, Dec. 12 against Saint
Michael’s at 7 p.m. WNEC (1-7-0, 1-5-0 ECAC Northeast)
returns to action on Dec. 9 at home against Salve Regina.