Worcester, MA- After a thrilling revenge win just five days ago. The Worcester State Men's Ice Hockey team (7-8-1, 4-5-1) is back on the winning hunt as they head to Fitchburg State. The Falcons are currently in the middle of the conference pack with a game up on the Lancers, so a win tonight could help solidify the top of the conference finish to Worcester at the end of the season. 

Final

Worcester State: 4

Fitchburg State: 3

How it Happened:

The Falcons and Lancers were quick in the start, each team firing away and looking for their perfect opportunity on the ice. Fitchburg would find their offensive momentum first after just 10 minutes and 10 shots, the Falcons took a 1-0 lead. Worcester would not be curtailed though and just five minutes later would respond to tie the game up off. Graduate student Brian Clougherty (Lynn, MA) goal after senior Brigham Neuhold (Edmond, OK) managed to lay a perfect pass for Clougherty. Each team would keep battling through the rest of the period to try to take a lead into the first intermission but the defense was solid and the 1-1 score would hold.

The second period of action found each team matching the challenge and holding each other off. Both teams would trade shots but defense was again the prime focus with neither team managing to find the needed leverage to take a lead into the third. And the third would find further scoring action with the Falcons grabbing an early goal in the period but Worcester would rise to the challenge as sophomore Matthew Nuzzolilo (Worcester, MA) would collect his own rebound and tuck it past the Falcons keeper to settle the teams back into a tie game. The Lancers would keep the momentum strong as four minutes later they would grab their first lead of the game off a senior Shane Prifrel (Inver Grove Heights, MN) goal that was aided by Nuzzolilo and sophomore transfer Stirling Nash (Seattle, WA). Aided by the quick reactions of their defense line and senior Wyatt Friedlander (Lake Placid, NY) the Lancers would hold onto their lead and expand as senior Martin Dlugolinsky (Stara Lubovna, Slovakia) would push the lead to two. Dlugolinsky was assisted by the first years, defenseman Cam Quigley (Quincy, MA) and forward Frederic Pinel (Beaumont, ON). In the final minute Fitchburg would opt for an empty net in a if to tie the game but would fall a goal short as they would fall to Worcester 4-3 in the conference action.

Friedlander would end the game with 39 saves on the night for the crucial conference win.

What's Next:

The Lancers (8-8-1, 5-5-1) have just a day of practice before they are back on home ice to host the Westfield State Owls on Saturday afternoon at 4:00pm.