Ice Hockey Opens Season with 3-3 Draw With Suffolk
Framingham, Mass. - The Framingham State College ice hockey team opened the 2009-2010 season tonight and skated to a 3-3 overtime tie with Suffolk University at Framingham's Loring Arena. The Rams scored two goals in the final 5:03 of regulation to force the overtime.
Suffolk University (0-2-1) took the early lead as they capitalized on their first of two power play opportunities of the night. Sophomore defender Nate Linard (Brighton, MI) fired a shot at the net that was saved by Framingham State goalie Andy Joyce (Milford, Mass.). However, junior Zach Barron (St. Louis, MO) was there for Suffolk to knock home the rebound giving the Suffolk Rams a 1-0 at the four minute mark.
The Rams responded and tied the game just over six minutes later as senior Matt Lally (Natick, Mass.) scored his first goal in a Rams uniform. Trevor Johnson (Anchorage, AK) and Jason Anderson (Arden Hills, MN) assisted on the game-tying tally.
The game would head into the first break tied and the Rams came out on fire in the second period and had several chances to break the tie. Suffolk University goalie Jeff Rose (Collinsville, Conn.) turned away all 18 shots he faced in the period.
Despite outshooting Suffolk 18-9 in the second period, Framingham State went into the third period trailing by two goals as the Suffolk line of Jason Molle (Stoneham, Mass.), Matt Robertson (Whitman, Mass.) and Andrew Monesi accounted for two goals in the final ten minutes of the second. Suffolk took a 2-1 lead on Molle's first goal of the season at 11:24 and extended the lead to 3-1 on Monesi's first goal of the year at 18:27. Robertson assisted on both tallies.
The game would remain tied until late in the third period. Framingham State had a five on three advantage after two penalties on Suffolk. Just as the first penalty expired, senior Brett Casavant (Garnder, Mass.) fired a shot from just inside the blue line that found the back of the net to pull the Rams within one goal with 5:03 remaining in the game. Just 1:14 later the Rams tied the game on senior forward Joe Hurley's (Charlestown, Mass.) first goal of the year. Aran Ward (Dunstable, Mass.) and Ben Pacific (Marlborough, Mass.) assisted on the game tying tally.
Neither team was able to generate a scoring chance in the overtime as they each only had one shot on net. Joyce finished the game with 29 saves for Framingham State, while Rose picked up 37 saves for Suffolk.
Framingham State returns to action on Saturday as they travel to the Southern New Hampshire for a 7 p.m. game, while Suffolk travels to UMass Dartmouth at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.