Schanke scores lone Raven goal

Box Score

WINCHENDON, Mass. (November 19, 2009) – Senior forward Dan Drinkwater scored the game-winning goal just 2:51 into the game as part of a three-goal opening period that send Worcester State on its way to a 4-1 victory over the Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in non-conference play at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Freshman forward Jonathan Schanke (Wallingford, Conn.) scored the lone goal of the game for Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 1-4-2 (0-0-1 Northeast-10), while Worcester State improves to 2-2-0 (0-1-0 Massachusetts State).

Worcester State would come out of the gates firing on all cylinders, as three goals in the opening 10 minutes put Franklin Pierce in a hole which it would never dig out of. Senior forward Lee Belisle opened the scoring with his first goal of the season just 2:04 into the contest when he jammed home the rebound of a shot by sophomore forward John Cahalane. Just 47 seconds later, the Lancers would make it 2-0, when Drinkwater found the net for the eventual game-winner. He corralled the puck in the right-wing corner, got to the bottom of the right circle and snapped a wrist shot past Franklin Pierce sophomore goaltender Ben Siok (Holden, Mass.) for his first goal of the year. Sophomore forward Cody Warila and senior forward Tim Stalmok picked up assists on the goal, which prompted a timeout by Franklin Pierce.

Worcester State then pushed the lead to 3-0 at the 9:47 mark, as senior forward Mark Rintel skated down the slot and roofed a backhander past Siok for his third goal of the season. The unassisted tally chased Siok from the Franklin Pierce cage in favor of senior Jon Tuttle (Concord, N.H.).

Franklin Pierce would get its only goal of the game before the first intermission on a nifty passing play. Freshman forward Tom Mills (Oxford, England) dug the puck out of the left-wing corner and sent it to sophomore forward Anthony Chighisola (Whitman, Mass.). Chighisola redirected the puck into the slot to Schanke, who one-timed the puck into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.

Worcester State would add an insurance marker at the 11:43 mark of the third period to create the 4-1 final. Junior defenseman Dillon Wilde sent a pass forward from his own end which sprung senior forward Andrew Brady through the neutral zone with a full head of steam. Brady was joined by sophomore forward Nick Asterito as they came in 2-on-2 on the Franklin Pierce defense. Brady went around his man on the outside and flipped a pass from the corner back out into the slot for Asterito, who in turn one-timed a shot into the net for his second goal of the season.

Siok made seven saves over the opening 9:47 of the contest and took the loss (1-4-2) in net for Franklin Pierce. Tuttle made 16 saves over the remaining 50:13 of the game. Freshman goaltender TJ Cuneo made 29 saves to earn the win (1-0-0) between the pipes for Worcester State.

Franklin Pierce held a 30-27 edge in shots on goal in the game, and went 0-for-5 on the power play. Worcester State did not score in six attempts with the man-advantage.

The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Nov. 21, when they remain home to host Stonehill in a Northeast-10 Conference contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at The Winchendon School Ice Arena.