Falcons Hold Off Penmen, 3-2

Cookson nets first collegiate tally for Green and Gold

Hooksett, N.H. – The Fitchburg State ice hockey team earned a 3-2 victory over the Penmen of Southern New Hampshire this afternoon in the consolation game of the 2021-22 Southern New Hampshire University Stovepipe Tournament from the Ice Den Arena.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 3, Southern New Hampshire 2
Records: Fitchburg State (5-2-0, 3-1-0 MASCAC) | Southern New Hampshire (6-3-0, 5-0-0 NE10)

How It Happened

Fitchburg State grabbed an early 1-0 advantage at the 4:53 mark of the first period when junior Hunter Fortin (Westerville, Ohio) settled a feed from classmate Gene Bouthiette (Enfield, Conn.) and senior Brian Glover (Baldwinville, Mass.) and deposited a shot far near side for his team leading sixth tally on the year.

Southern New Hampshire knotted the score with just under two minutes remaining in the second period of play as sophomore Matt Amante (West Hampstead, N.Y.) converted with the man advantage, tucking a shot inside the near post for his third goal of the season off assists from junior George Thurston (Plymouth, Mass.) and senior Joseph Fiorino (Willow Grove, Penn.) to make the score 1-1 going into the third period.

In the final period of play, the Falcons broke the 1-1 stalemate at the 7:15 mark when freshman Oliver Cookson (Sheffield, Mass.) snuck a shot past Penmen goaltender JT Kossakowski (Elburn, Ill.) for his first collegiate tally with an assist from sophomore Cole Archambeault (Leominster, Mass.) for the 2-1 edge.

The Green and Gold tacked on an insurance marker one and minutes later as junior Wyatt Wilmshurst (Massena, N.Y.) netted his third goal of the 2021-22 campaign with assists by junior Rece Bergeman (Newark, Del.) and Fortin to make the score 3-1.

The Penmen cut the deficit to 3-2 with roughly seven and half minutes remaining in regulation with senior Jake Cox (Columbus, Ga.) receiving a feed from Amante, who connected on his third marker on the season, but that's as close as Southern New Hampshire would get as Fitchburg State held on for the 3-2 victory.

By the Numbers

• 25th matchup between the two teams with the Falcons 19-6-0 all-time vs. the Penmen
• Southern New Hampshire finished with a 34-28 margin in shots
• Fitchburg State went 1-for-4 with the man advantage
• Senior Christopher Mattone (New Windsor, N.Y.) made 32 saves for the Falcons
• Kossakowski stopped 25 shots for the Penmen
• Cookson notched first collegiate tally for Falcons

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Thursday as they travel to Westfield State University to take on the Owls in MASCAC action, starting at 7:35 PM.