Ice Hockey Soars Past Owls

Imala nets two goals for Green and Gold

Westfield, Mass. The Fitchburg State ice hockey team defeated the Owls of Westfield State University, 6-2 in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action this evening from the Amelia Ice Arena.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 6, Westfield State 2

Records: Fitchburg State (9-6-2 8-3-2 MASCAC) l Westfield State (10-6-1, 7-5-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

Fitchburg State opened the scoring 3:29 into the first period as junior Jack Johansen (Milford, NH) collected a feed from senior Cole Archambeault (Leominster, MA) and freshman Michael Imala (Oak Lawn, IL) and buried a shot into the back of the net for his first score on the season for the 1-0 lead.

Westfield State knotted the score at 1-1 five minutes later when freshman Christopher Miraldo (Montreal, QUE) connected for his team-leading 14th score of the year off an assist from classmate Emile Pichette (Saint-Eustache, QUE). The Falcons regained the lead with just over five minutes remaining in the frame with junior Toivo Kramer (New York, NY) depositing a shot inside the far post for his fifth marker of the 2023-24 campaign as newcomer Alexandre Bauvais (Meudon, France) and sophomore Nolan Sargent (Littleton, CO) assisting on the play.

In the second period of play, Fitchburg State upped the lead to 3-1 at the 7:29 mark with Imala converting a power play marker as junior Samuel Rennick (Salisbury, MA) and Johansen added assists. The Green and Gold pushed the advantage to 4-1 ten minutes later when Bauvais received a pass from newcomer Adam Nedelka (Srch, Czech Republic) and graduate student Antoine Gignac (Quebec City, QUE) and notched the Falcons third power play tally of the contest.

In the final period, the Owls cut the deficit to 4-2 at the 7:01 mark when sophomore Cooper Board (Salem, MA) found the back of the net for his fourth goal on the year with assists from classmate Daniel Finegan (Chicago, IL) and senior Gianluca Marini (Lighthouse Point, FL). The Falcons extended the lead (5-2) roughly two minutes later with Imala collecting his second score of the contest. Fitchburg State secured the victory at the 11:57 mark when newcomer Kristopher Zapata (Cherry Hill, NJ) took a feed from Kramer and Bauvais and blasted a shot into the right side of the net to pot his fourth goal of the season, resulting in the 6-2 final.

By the Numbers

• 46th meeting between the Falcons and the Owls on the ice with Fitchburg State 29-14-3 all-time when taking on Westfield State
• Both teams finished with 35 shots apiece
• Fitchburg State finished 3-for-4 with the man advantage
• Sophomore Max Macchioni (North Kingstown, RI) stopped 33 shots for the Falcons
• Senior Valtteri Valtonen (Helsinki, Finland) made 22 saves for the Owls

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Thursday as they host the Rams of Framingham State for a MASCAC clash, starting at 6:30PM.

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