FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Powered by a three-goal second period, Framingham State University posted a 5-0 win over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference action on Thursday at Loring Arena. The Rams move to 1-1 overall, while the Corsairs slip to 1-2 on the young season.
The Rams opened the game's scoring at 5:54 of the opening period on a tally by rookie left winger Connor McLachlan. A shot by junior right winger Nathan Gines was initially blocked by a Corsair defender. The puck came loose as McLachlan found it, sending and off angle shot behind him past the reach of UMD senior goalie
Marshall McKallip for the 1-0 lead.
The Corsairs had a number of chances to tie it up, including three straight saved shots off the stick of rookie center
Kailin Chen, but were unable to nap the equalizer heading into the second period of action.
In the second period, the Rams netted their second of the game just 33 seconds in to the middle stanza. Rookie right wing Anthony Venezia was able to dig the puck out at the far boards, shooting it up on the fly to senior left wing Bobby Bernier. Skating through the right circle, Bernier clipped a shot in that went five-hole on McKallip for the two-goal lead.
Framingham State made it a 3-0 score less than two minutes later, taking advantage on the power play. A pass from the right circle from Bernier fell onto the stick of senior captain Jake Barcelou, who roofed a shot into the top left corner for the three-goal lead at 2:01 of the second. Junior defender Cameron Craig earned the secondary assist.
The Corsairs made the change in net, handing the reigns over to senior goalie
Graham Burke as he made a number of outstanding stops to keep the score locked at 3-0 throughout the rest of the frame. Despite having a power play opportunity that saw shots off the stick of senior right wing
Kevin Johnston, sophomore defender
Brennen Pecararo and senior captain and defender
Lane Ruffner, the Corsairs could not light the lamp.
It was the Rams that capitalized once again late in the frame McLachlan buried a loose puck at the near corner past Burke for the 4-0 advantage with less than three minutes to play in the frame. Bernier earned the primary assist, taking a shot from the far side that rebounded out to Gines for the score.
Third period action saw the Corsairs come on strong to open the stanza, firing in four shots on Rams goalie Owen Swanbon through the opening 1:32 of action. UMD benefitted from a power play, but were unable to convert with just one shot on the FSU end during the advantage.
Senior left winger
Tyler Stewart had another outstanding chance, getting a breakaway attempt at 11:46, but Swanbon was there to made the pad save and keep the visitors off the board.
Framingham State added a final tally late in the third period to finish with the 5-0 advantage.
In goal, McKallip finished with eight saves over 22:01 action, shouldering the loss, while Burke stopped 12 shots in 36:47 of relief.
These two teams will meet again tomorrow, squaring off at 5:30pm as the Corsairs host the Rams at Hetland Arena on Friday.
