Siok makes 43 saves for Ravens

Box Score

NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. (December 10, 2008) – Freshman goaltender Ben Siok (Holden, Mass./St. John’s Shrewsbury) made 47 saves on Wednesday night as the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team played to a 3-3 tie against Johnson & Wales in ECAC Northeast Conference play at Rhode Island Sports Center. Freshman forward Joe Sullivan (Chicago, Ill./Chicago (CSHL)) scored the game-tying goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime and the eventual tie.

Johnson & Wales opened the scoring with a power-play goal 12:46 into the first period. Junior forward Kevin Marchesi (South Portland, Maine/New Hampshire (EMJHL)) notched his sixth goal of the season on an assist from freshman defenseman Domenic Recchia (Sterling Heights, Mich./Michigan (CSHL)). Franklin Pierce would answer just over five minutes later to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the first intermission. Freshman forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass./Archbishop Williams) scored his team-best sixth goal of the year on the power play, with an assist credited to junior forward Casey Goodell (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding), at the 18:08 mark.

Graduate forward Ryan Strayer (Murfreesboro, Tenn./New England Jr. Coyotes (EJHL)) scored unassisted in a four-on-four situation 2:15 into the second to give Franklin Pierce a 2-1 lead. Strayer’s third of the campaign was the only goal scored in the second stanza.

Franklin Pierce doubled the lead to 3-1 at the 15:22 mark of the third when Goodell scored his fifth of the year on the power play off a feed from junior forward Phil LaBreck (Thornton, N.H./John Stark Regional). However, the Panthers would score twice in the final 2:21 to even the game at 3-3. First, Marchesi netted his second of the game from sophomore forward Joe Simeone (Cranston, R.I./Northern Mass. (AJHL)) and freshman forward Jeremiah Ketts (Foristell, Mo./Peoria (CSHL)) at the 17:39 mark. Then, with 52 seconds to play, Sullivan drew Johnson & Wales even with his fifth of the season. The assists on the game-tying goal went to senior defenseman Mike O’Malley (Bellingham, Mass./Boston Harborwolves (EJHL)) and freshman forward Kyle Botos (Sheffield Village, Ohio/Cleveland (CSHL)).

Each team recorded two shots on goal in the extra session, but neither club could find the game-winning goal.

Johnson & Wales held a 50-31 edge in shots on goal in the game and went 2-for-5 on the power play. Franklin Pierce finished 2-for-7 with the man advantage.

Siok made 47 saves in net and picked up the tie for Franklin Pierce. Siok has now stopped 90 of 95 shots sent his way over a two-game span. Sophomore JR Woodland (Picton, Ontario/Wellington (OPJHL)) made 28 saves between the pipes for Johnson & Wales.

The Ravens (3-5-2, 1-0-0 Northeast-10, 2-3-2 ECAC Northeast) return to the ice on Friday, Dec. 12, when they return home to 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. Johnson & Wales (5-2-1, 5-1-1 ECAC Northeast) returns to action on Dec. 29 at Assumption.