FITCHBURG, Mass. – Freshman Mike Fretz (Seattle, Wash.) netted a pair of first period goals to help the host Fitchburg State University ice hockey team defeat Wentworth Institute of Technology, 7-2, on the second day of the IC Federal Credit Union Shootout.
With the win the Falcons improve to 1-1 on the season while the Leopards fall to 1-1 on the season.
Fretz sparked a four-goal first period when he scored a power-play goal at 1:27 with assists coming from Ricky Kramer (Strafford, N.H.) and Cameron Snyder (Shawnee, Kan.). Freshman Nick DiNicola (Wolcott, Conn.) scored from freshman Josh Victor (Killeen, Texas) and senior Paul Falanga (East Haven, Conn.) at 12:44 to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. DiNicola and senior Mike Morrison (Scarborough, Maine) assisted on senior Ryan Connolly's (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) goal at 15:22 before Fretz rounded out the first period scoring with his second of the game – assisted by Kramer and freshman Brandon Ecklund (Fitchburg, Mass.) – with three seconds left in the frame.
Wentworth got on the board at 9:08 of the second period when freshman Angus Johnston (Calgary, Alta.) scored from sophomore Chris Sattler (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and freshman Ben Mello (Pawtucket, R.I.). Nearly nine and a half minutes later Fitchburg State increased its lead to 5-2 when DiNicola scored his second of the game, off feeds from senior Max Lorenzen (Leesburg, Va.) and Falanga.
DiNicola and Connolly assisted on Falanga's marker at 7:30 of the third period before senior John Celli (Leominster, Mass.) completed the Falcons' scoring with a goal – assisted by Victor and senior Nat Rojas (Elkridge, Md.) – at 13:04. Leopard senior Stephen McManus (Westwood, Mass.) rounded out the scoring with a goal from freshman Eric Eustace (Oakville, Ont.) and sophomore Erik Andersson (Madison, N.J.) with 2:32 left in the contest.
Freshman Kirby Saari (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) made 33 saves for Fitchburg State. Senor Joel Miller (Calgary, Alta.) made five saves in 16 minutes of work. Sophomore Ryan Hubbard (West Roxbury, Mass.) made 20 saves over the final 44:00. Wentworth held a 35-32 shot advantage.
Wentworth sophomores Ryan Sullivan (Whately, Mass.) and Jake McDonough (Marshfield, Mass.) were both named to the all-tournament team.
The Leopards open ECAC Northeast play on Thursday at Curry.
