Box Score HENNIKER, N.H.-The New England College men's ice hockey team opened up their 2018-19 season with a 5-4 victory over Fitchburg State University.
SCORING
Period 1 09:44 | FSU Ricky Kramer (Kyle Hillick, Ryan Murphy)
Period 1 17:19 | NEC
Connor Fries (
William Riise,
Keenan Haase)
Period 2 00:21 | FSU Christopher Vicario (Sascha Figi, Nick DiNicola
Period 2 04:44 | FSU Ricky Kramer (Alexander Joscelyn, Kyle Hillick)
Period 2 12:07 | NEC
Nikita Pintusov (
Martin Hallin,
Patrick DeBlois) (PP)
Period 2 17:59 | NEC
Nikita Pintusov (
Mike Whitehair) (PP)
Period 3 02:05 | NEC
Patrick DeBlois (
Adam Zollner)
Period 3 08:18 | FSU Nick DiNicola (Christopher Vicario, Sascha Figi)
Period 3 15:10 | NEC
Adam Zollner (
Patrick DeBlois,
Andreas Zollner)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ricky Kramer scored his first of two goals to get the scoring started at about the halfway point of the first period.
Connor Fries (Barnstable, Mass.) tied the game at one each in the 17
th minute of the first period.
Keenan Haase (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and
William Riise (Charlottenlund, Denmark) made a play out of the corner to get the puck to fries on the doorstep of the goal.
Fitchburg would come out of the intermission firing as they took a 3-1 advantage just under five minutes into the period. Christopher Vicario and Kramer recorded the goals. However, the Pilgrims would come mount a comeback on the back of
Nikita Pintusov (Mogilev, Belarus). Pintusov scored two powerplay goals for the Pilgrims just six minutes apart. Those mark his first collegiate goals and points.
Patrick DeBlois (Lewiston, Maine) gave the Pilgrims a 4-3 advantage just over two minutes into the final regulation period when he backhanded a puck on goal that went over the Falcon goaltender's head. Just over six minutes later, Nick DiNicola tied the contest at 4 when he was on the receiving end of a nice passing play through the offensive zone by Vicario and Sascha Figi.
Adam Zollner (Varnamo, Sweden) earned the game-winning goal with just under four minutes to play in regulation. Sjoo needed to make a diving save and then keep out four shots on the doorstep to keep Fitchburg from tying the contest and forcing overtime.
GOALTENDERS
Christoffer Sjoo earned the victory for the Pilgrims making 20 saves on 24 shots on goal. Brian McGrath earned the loss having made 37 saves on 42 shots. Sjoo is 1-0 on the season.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Pilgrims will travel to Babson College for a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) matchup on Friday evening.
