Senior Willy Baker netted the game winning goal for the Skyhawks early in the third period. |
Senior Willy Baker nets game-winner 2:32 into the third period
EASTON, Mass. (February 2, 2016) – Senior forward Willy Baker (Suffern, New York/The Hill School) scored the go-ahead goal 2:32 into the third period and Stonehill College held on for a 3-2 victory over Franklin Pierce University this evening in Northeast-10 Conference men's ice hockey action at the Foxboro Sports Center.
Baker's fourth goal of the season broke a 2-2 tie, after Franklin Pierce had evened the score midway through the second period. Stonehill is now unbeaten in its last six contests (5-0-1).
Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with less than a minute remaining in the first period, when senior forward Brendan Glynn (Quincy, Massachusetts/Bridgton Academy) scored his team-leading sixth of the season on an assist from senior defenseman Dan Gibbons (Quincy, Massachusetts/Bay State Breakers) and classmate Michael Marchionda (Hyde Park, Massachusetts/Bridgton Academy).
Stonehill responded in the second period, scoring two goals in quick succession. Senior Kevin Airoldi (Kennebunk, Maine/Boston Jr. Rangers) tied the game when he received a pass from freshman defenseman Connor Collier (Madison, New Jersey/New Jersey Hitmen) and scored his first goal of the season. Junior forward Evan Jacques (Norton, Massachusetts/South Shore Kings) put the Skyhawks in the lead momentarily just 36 seconds later on an assist by Airoldi. The lead was short lived however, as Glynn registered his second goal of the night, pouncing on a loose puck in front of the goal and punching it in.
Stonehill would take the lead for good early in the third period. Junior Brian Higgins (Milton, Massachusetts/Proctor Academy) received the puck on the break and skated into Franklin Pierce's defensive zone and past a diving Ravens defender. Higgins then whipped the puck to the front of the net where Baker beat the goaltender from point blank range. With a little over three minutes to play, Sophomore Tommy Newton (Hollis, New Hampshire/Portland Jr. Pirates) was called for a game misconduct which forced the Skyhawks to play a man down for the remainder of the contest. Even with the man advantage for an extended period of time, The Ravens couldn't capitalize to send the game to overtime.
Freshman netminder William Palmer (Cranston, Rhode Island/Boston Bandits) made 19 saves on the night while his counterpart, sophomore Tom McGuckin (Clayton, New Jersey/Portland Jr. Pirates) turned away 35. The Skyhawks outshot the Ravens 38-21, including 15-7 in the second period.
Stonehill (10-8-4, 6-0-2 NE-10), winners of six of its last eight and unbeaten in its last six contests, is off until February 6th, when the Skyhawks will return to the Foxboro Sports Center to host Assumption College. Franklin Pierce (3-15-2, 0-5-2 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday as well with a NE-10 Conference matchup against Southern New Hampshire University.
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