Fitchburg State and Saint Michael’s Play To 4-4 Draw
Senior Matt Arsenault (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) and junior Chris Riggs (Sewell, N.J./Fort Vancouver Pioneers) notched two points apiece as Fitchburg State played to a 4-4 draw with Saint Michael’s College in the Purple Knight’s Holiday Classic.
Fitchburg State and Saint Michael's Play To 4-4 Draw
Arsenault and Riggs lead Falcons with two points apiece
BURLINGTON, Vt. (January 3, 2009) - Senior Matt Arsenault (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) and junior Chris Riggs (Sewell, N.J./Fort Vancouver Pioneers) notched two points apiece as Fitchburg State played to a 4-4 draw with Saint Michael's College in the Purple Knight's Holiday Classic.
MATT ARSENAULT |
Arsenault and Riggs each posted one goal and one assist to pace the Falcon attack while junior Andrew Hutton (Brewster, Mass./Boston Harbor Wolves) netted his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Senior Bob Kaloustian (Marlborough, Mass./Suffolk University) chipped in with two assists.
Saint Michael's senior Ryan Mero (Peekskill, N.Y./Avon Old Farms) recorded a game-high three points on one goal and two assists while junior Zach Gieszler (Fairbanks, Alaska/University of Alaska-Fairbanks) added a score and one helper. Junior Pat McGuirk (Hingham, Mass./Avon Old Farms) and sophomore Fran Briand (South Burlington, Vt./Loomis Chafee School) were also solid with one goal apiece.
The Purple Knights got on the board first, just 6:59 into the first period, when Mero connected for his third goal of the season off assists from Gieszler and senior Chris Healey (Salem, N.H./N.H. Monarchs). Saint Michael's added its second goal of the period with 3:55 left in the frame as McGurik tallied his second score of the season.
In the second period, Saint Michael's opened a 3-0 lead as Briand netted his first goal of the season at the 15:20 mark. Fitchburg State fired back as Riggs registered the first Falcon goal with 12:32 left in the second period. The Purple Knights responded late in the period as Mero put the Purple Knights up three goals with a one-on-one breakaway goal.
In the third period, Fitchburg State countered with three unanswered goals to force an overtime period. Hutton ignited the Falcon rally with a power-play goal at the 10:53 mark. Arsenault followed suit moments later with another power-play goal before the Falcons knotted the score at 4-4 on freshman Bryan Canter's (Anchorage, AK/Helena Bighorns) second goal of the season.
Both teams played evenly throughout the overtime period to force the draw. Freshman Bobby Leiser (Monroe, N.Y/New York Applecore) made 21 saves over two periods of work the Falcons, while senior Tyler Bilton (Penticton, British Columbia/Finlandia University) stopped 25 shots for the Purple Knights.
Fitchburg State (5-5-1, 2-2-0 ECAC NE) will be in action again on Tuesday as it hosts Salem State at 7 p.m. Saint Michael's (1-6-1, 0-5-0 ECAC East) will host Connecticut College on Friday at 7 p.m.
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Fitchburg State 4, Saint Michael's 4
|
Teams |
1 |
2 |
3 |
OT |
T |
|
Fitchburg State (5-5-1, 2-2-0 ECAC NE) |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
|
St. Michael's (1-6-1, 0-5-0 ECAC East) |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Scoring:
1st Period: SMC, Gieszler (Mero, Healey), 6:59;
SMC: McGurik (Earle, Mero), 16:05
2nd Period: SMC: Briand (Whitney,
Pawliczka), 4:40; FIT: Riggs (Kaloustian, Arsenault), 7:28; SMC:
Mero (Gieszler, Geverd), 17:25;
3rd Period: FIT: Hutton, 9:07; FIT:
Arsenault (Kaloustian, Riggs), 11:23; FIT: Canter (Threlkeld),
17:04;
Goaltending: FIT: Bobby Leiser (40:00), 21 saves;
FIT: Andrew Riccio (22:32), five saves: SMC: Tyler Bilton
(54:07), 25 saves; SMC: Brian McWade (10:53), three saves.
Shots on Goal: FIT 31: SMC: 29
Stars:
1st Star - Ryan Mero
2nd Star - Zach Gieszler
3rd Star - Chris Riggs