Falcons Soar Past Vikings In MASCAC Action

Salem, Mass. – The Fitchburg State ice hockey team defeated the Vikings of Salem State, 7-2 this evening in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from the Rockett Ice Arena.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 7, Salem State 2
Records: Fitchburg State (2-1-0, 1-1-0 MASCAC) I Salem State (0-3-0, 0-2-0 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Fitchburg State opened the scoring /just 4:02 into the opening frame when senior Rece Bergeman (Newark, Del.) collected a feed from classmates Anthony Ceolin (Simsbury, Conn.) and Hunter Fortin (Westerville, Ohio) and buried a shot into the back of the net for his second score of the season for the 1-0 edge.

Salem State knotted the score (1-1) midway through the frame with freshman Zach Dill (Lake Tahoe, Calif.) finding the back of the net for his second marker on the year off assists from junior Keagan O'Donoghue (Frisco, Tex.) and junior Evan Cronkhite (Aliso Viejo, Calif.).

The Falcons regained the advantage at the 15:17 mark of the first period when sophomore Christian Halbig (Queenstown, Md.) collected a feed from Bergeman and senior Gene Bouthiette (Enfield, Conn.) and blasted a shot into the upper right corner for his first tally of the 2022-23 campaign to make the score 2-1.

In the middle stanza, the Green and Gold upped the lead to 3-1 at the 9:48 mark as Bergeman notched his second score of the contest on the power-play. Fitchburg State extended the lead with two and half minutes left in the second period when graduate student Antoine Gignac (Quebec City, Que.) settled a feed from senior Egan Wolford (San Jose, Calif.) and Bouthiette and deposited a shot inside the far post for his first goal on the season for the 4-1 margin.

The Falcons pushed the lead to 5-1 early in the third period when Bergeman completed the hat trick as Bouthiette picked up the assist on the play, Fitchburg State secured the victory at the 12:22 mark as sophomore Michael Macchioni (North Kingstown, R.I.) potted his first goal on the year with an assist from Bouthiette, resulting in the 7-2 final.

By the Numbers

• 61st meeting between the Falcons and the Vikings on the ice with Fitchburg State 18-36-7 all-time when taking on Salem State
• Fitchburg State held a 39-33 edge in shots
• Salem State went 0-for-4 with the man advantage
• Freshman Max Macchioni (North Kingstown, R.I.) finished with 31 saves for the Green and Gold
• Junior Aaron Mercer (Corner Brook, Newfoundland) stopped 32 shots for the Vikings

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Saturday as they host the Rams of Framingham State University for a MASCAC matchup, starting at 4:00 PM.