After the Franklin Pierce University men’s ice hockey team surrendered a third-period lead on Tuesday night, sophomore defenseman Blaise Kilroy put a shot through traffic which turned into a late game-winning goal, as the Ravens pulled out a 2-1 win over Westfield State in non-conference play at the Jason Ritchie Ice Arena. Junior goaltender Tom McGuckin made 35 saves in net to pick up the win for the Ravens.
With the win, Franklin Pierce improves to 6-2-0 and has won five straight to establish a new program record. With the loss, Westfield State falls to 5-3-0.
Franklin Pierce opened the scoring with a power-play marker early in the second period to take a 1-0 lead. The Ravens worked the puck down low on the right side to sophomore forward Nate Indelicato, who was along the goal line in the right-wing corner. He moved towards the net from there and ultimately stuffed his fifth goal of the season inside the right post to cash in the power-play chance. Sophomore forward Nick Indelicato and senior defenseman Taylor Fletcher provided the assists at the 2:31 mark.
Not only would the Ravens go without a shot on goal on a pair of third-period power plays, but they would surrender a shorthanded goal — and the lead as well — at the 11:05 mark. On a faceoff in the right-wing circle of the offensive end, freshman forward Rob Neuwirth won the draw cleanly to junior forward Cody Campbell-Rich. Campbell-Rich immediately put a one-time shot on net and cleanly beat McGuckin for his second goal of the campaign to draw the game level at 1-1.
With the puck along the half-boards on the left-wing side, senior forward Connor Mauro sent the puck to Kilroy at the left point, and the latter flipped the puck towards the net from there. Kilroy used a Westfield State defender as a screen, and it appeared Owls freshman goaltender Kameron Limburg never saw the puck until it was too late. The puck slipped between Limburg’s pads and into the goal for Kilroy’s first collegiate goal, which would stand as the game-winner, at the 15:19 mark.
The Ravens return to the ice on Saturday, Nov. 26, when they travel to Trinity (Conn.) for a non-conference contest. Opening faceoff is set for 3 p.m. at Albert Creighton Williams Rink in Hartford, Connecticut.