Chighisola, Sweeney tally four points each

Box Score

WINCHENDON, Mass. (February 6, 2010) – Sophomore forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass.) scored two goals and added two assists on Saturday night to lead the Franklin Pierce University men’s ice hockey team to a 6-2 victory over Southern New Hampshire in Northeast-10 Conference play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Chighisola’s second goal of the game was his 16th of the season, which set a new program record. It was also his 31st point of the season, which moved him into a tie for the most points in a single season in Franklin Pierce history.

With the victory, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-13-2 (3-5-1 Northeast-10), while Southern New Hampshire falls to 3-11-3 (1-3-2 Northeast-10) with the loss. With the win, Franklin Pierce sets a new program record for most Northeast-10 Conference victories in a season and matches the program’s most overall wins in a season. The win earns Franklin Pierce a split in the three-game season series with Southern New Hampshire, and each team will pick up one point in the standings.

Franklin Pierce scored twice in the first half of the opening period and would never relinquish the lead the rest of the way. Freshman forward Roscoe Sweeney (Falmouth, Mass.) opened the scoring with his 10th of the season on the power play 4:24 into the contest when he stuffed home a feed at the left post from Chighisola, while senior forward Phil LaBreck (Thornton, N.H.) tallied an assist as well. Just over four minutes later, freshman forward Dino Federico (Canton, Mass.) forced a turnover in the Southern New Hampshire end, took a snap shot from the top of the right circle and then slipped his own rebound inside the right post to notch his first career goal.

Franklin Pierce would push the lead as high as 5-0 in the second period. At the 10:59 mark, sophomore forward Justin Adams (Homer, Alaska) snapped home his second of the season, the eventual game-winner, from the top of the left circle off a drop pass from freshman forward Adam Dallaire (Waltham, Mass.) on a 2-on-1 rush. Less than two minutes later, Chighisola finished off a 2-on-1 of his own with a wrist shot from the high slot off a feed from Sweeney. Finally, at the 17:12 mark, LaBreck put away his 10th of the season off assists from Chighisola and Sweeney in transition after a Southern New Hampshire turnover.

Southern New Hampshire got on the board with just 21 seconds remaining in the second stanza when senior forward John Frey was sprung on a partial breakaway by sophomore defenseman Anthony Dercole. Frey’s shot was stopped by Franklin Pierce sophomore goaltender Ben Siok (Holden, Mass.), but Penmen junior forward William Toomey banged home the rebound to pick up his fifth goal of the season.

At the 5:35 mark of the third period, Southern New Hampshire cut the lead to 5-2 as Dercole notched his second of the season on the power play from the bottom of the left circle off an assist from senior defenseman Kent Honeyman.

The Ravens would reclaim the four-goal lead and complete the evening’s scoring with 6:57 to play in regulation with a power-play goal of their own. Chighisola finished things off with a one-timer at the right post off a pass across the slot from Sweeney, while freshman forward Jonathan Schanke (Wallingford, Conn.) picked up an assist as well. Chighisola (2-2—4) and Sweeney (1-3—4) each notched their fourth point of the night on the play, while Chighisola put his name in the Franklin Pierce record book.

Siok made 34 saves to pick up the win (3-7-2) in net for Franklin Pierce. Freshman goaltender Mike Mastracci played the first two periods, stopped 16 shots and took the loss (1-5-1) between the pipes for Southern New Hampshire. Freshman John Carbonneau made three saves over the final 20 minutes for the Penmen.

Southern New Hampshire posted a 36-25 advantage in shots on goal in the game and went 1-for-10 on the power play and allowed two shorthanded goals. Franklin Pierce finished 2-for-10 with the man-advantage.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Feb. 13, when they travel to Assumption for a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Buffone Rink in Worcester, Mass. Franklin Pierce next plays at home on Saturday, Feb. 20 against Stonehill at 7 p.m.