FITCHBURG, MA: The Fitchburg State ice hockey team defeated the MCLA Trailblazers in the MASCAC Championship. The Falcons, who were seeded #4, clinched their entry into the NCAA Tournament with the win over #8 MCLA, winning the MASCAC Championship for the first time since 2018 and the third MASCAC Championship (2011, 2018, 2025) in the history of the program.

THE BASICS:

- Date: 3/8/25

- Score: Fitchburg 3, MCLA 1

- Records: Fitchburg (15-12-1), MCLA (6-20-2)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

-  The Falcons offense found the back of the net three times, something that #1 Plymouth State and #2 Anna Maria were unable to do, due to the play of Trailblazers tender Mathew Gover in this year's postseason. Hunter Dunn (Douglas, MA) continued his impressive season with a two-goal performance, earning him the MASCAC Championship MVP. His first goal got the scoring going for the Falcons in the 10th minute of the first period. Trenton Skaggs (Cherry Hill, NJ) tipped the puck away from an MCLA player that found Marcus Macchioni (N. Kingstown, RI), who dished to Dunn, who would bring the puck down the ice to fake right and finish left on Gover.  

- Fitchburg would add on a second goal in the second period in the 18th minute on great passing from the Falcons' second line of forwards. This time, it was Dunn and Elowan Orme Lynch (Courbevoie, France) who worked the puck up the ice to find Matteo Orme Lynch (Courbevoie, France) for a quick wrist shot.

- The Falcons would add one more in the 13th minute of the third period. Again, it was the Falcons' second line who have produced so much down the stretch who found each other for the goal. Matteo Orme Lynch found Dunn again in front of the net for a quick deflection for his second goal of the game.

- MCLA would break Max Macchioni's (N. Kingstown, RI) shutout in the 16th minute of the third after Easton Moore won a faceoff in the right circle to be scooped up by Cade Herrera, who turned around and fired the puck past Macchioni, concluding the scoring in the contest. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

-  Macchioni got the win (5-3) for the Falcons in net after a 28 save performance.  

-  Gover had a solid game in goal for the Trailblazers with 28 saves on 31 shots faced.

-  Shots: Fitchburg 31, MCLA 29

UP NEXT:

• Fitchburg State will look to the NCAA selection show on Monday at 10:00 AM to see where they will travel to that following Saturday for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Release courtesy of Fitchburg State Sports Information