Men’s Hockey Routs Franklin Pierce 1-0

WINCHENDON, Mass.  – The Suffolk men's hockey team faced tough tests in a stingy Ravens team, but made its second period goal stand up as the Rams skated away from Jason Ritchie Arena with a 1-0 win over Franklin Pierce Tuesday night.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 1, Franklin Pierce 0
RECORDS: Suffolk (7-11-4) | Franklin Pierce (9-15-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless and penalty absent first frame, David Lappin wasted no time in the middle period to open the scoring. The freshman had help from his classmates, Austin Lackey and Brian Brooks, to put the Rams on the board just 57 seconds into the second.  Lappin's initial shot from the right side was blocked by a Ravens defense and bounced back to the Rams' freshman in the right circle. Lappin made a power move to the right post to put the puck away. 

The Rams had a chance to make it 2-0 at the 16:05 minute mark when they were awarded a penalty shot after a FPU defensemen covered the puck in the crease. Anthony Galloway took the shot, but it went wide right. The sophomore forward cut back across the slot and tried to pick Austin Christopher's top-left corner, but Christopher got a piece of it to keep it a one-goal game. 

An offensive push from FPU came in the final 2:57 of action with Brooks sitting down at the 17:13 minute mark for hitting from behind. With Christopher pulled, the hosts came dangerously close to producing the game-tying goal with one attempt reaching Venturoso and three blocked by the Rams defense secured the shutout.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• All point earners for the Rams are rookies with Lappin scoring the lone goal of the night thanks to help from Lackey and Brooks.
• FPU held a minor edge in shots, 23-22, but Suffolk won the battle in the faceoff circle, 39-34.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KEEPERS

• Venturoso's 23-save, shutout effort moved the senior to 4-6-1 in between the pipes.
• Christopher turned aside 21 Suffolk attempts in the setback.

NOTEABLES

• Suffolk rattled off its second straight win over FPU running its all-time series lead versus the Ravens to 11-4-2.
• The Rams shutout their third opponent this season, marking the most cleansheets for the blue-and-gold in the team's record book, which dates back to the 1999-00 season.
• Venturoso is the first Suffolk goal in the record book, which dates back to the 1999-00 campaign, to claim three shutouts in a single season. The senior blanked Becker, 3-0, with 28 saves, and Wentworth, 1-0, with a 23-save effort prior to his performance of 23 stops tonight.
• Lackey recorded his first collegiate point.
• Brooks ran his point-streak to three. The run features one goal and two handouts. 

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes it two-game win streak to Nichols tomorrow for a 7:10 p.m. Commonwealth Coast Conference contest.