Leiser collects 34 saves in Falcons ECAC Northeast setback
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FITCHBURG, Mass. (November 11, 2008) - The Fitchburg State ice hockey team suffered its first loss of the season, falling to ECAC Northeast foe Curry College, 3-2 this evening at the Wallace Civic Center.
Junior Andrew Hutton (Brewster, Mass./Boston Harbor Wolves) and freshman Thomas McAleer (East Islip, N.Y./New York Bobcats) led the Fitchburg State attack with one goal apiece, while sophomore Billy Pescosolido (Framingham, Mass./Walpole Express), senior Wayne Bonkowski (Onsted, Mich./Boston Jr. Blackhawks) and sophomore Chris Carey (Belmont, Mass./Belmont) each chipped in with an assist.
Junior Jarrett Rush (Pennington, N.J./Mahattanville College) led the Curry offensive front with a game-high two points on one goal and one assist, while classmate Sean Sylvester (Randolph, N.J./Salisbury School) and freshman Michael Guzzo (Pickney, Mich./Penticton Vees) each added a score.
Fitchburg State opened the match with an early 1-0 lead as Hutton teamed up with Bonkowski and Carey for his first score of the season. Curry rallied late in the frame coming within inches of tying the match, but freshman goalie Bobby Leiser (Monroe, N.Y./New York Applecore), the ECAC Northeast Rookie of the Week, made a diving glove save to keep the Falcons on top.
In the second period, Curry registered back-to-back scores by Rush and Guzzo to take a 2-1 advantage just 7:08 into the frame. The Falcons responded less than three minutes later to knot the score at 2-2 as McAleer connected for his first collegiate goal, but the Colonels broke the scoring deadlock late in the period as Sylvester tallied his first score of the year and the game's winning goal at the 19:56 mark.
Fitchburg State had several scoring opportunities throughout the third period, including a five on three power-play threat. The Falcons pressured the Colonels with a 22 shots in the final frame, including a 12-9 advantage in shots on goal, but the Curry defense remained solid, led by junior goaltender Zachary Gardella (Spokane, Wash./Trailsmoke). Gardella recorded 33 saves in net for the Colonels, while Leiser stopped 34 shots for the Falcons.
Fitchburg State (2-1-0, 0-1-0 ECAC NE) will be in action again next Saturday as it hosts Framingham State College at 7 p.m. Curry (1-0-0, 1-0-0 ECAC NE) will host Salve Regina University on Thursday at 7:15 p.m.
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Curry 3, Fitchburg State 2
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Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
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Curry (1-0-0, 1-0-0 ECAC NE) |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
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Fitchburg State (2-1-0, 0-1-0 ECAC NE) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
Scoring:
First Period: FSC: Andrew Hutton (Wayne Bonkowski, Chris
Carey), 16:03;
Second Period: CUR: Jarrett Rush (James
Pentecost, John Wiliams), 2:02; CUR: Michael Guzzo (Jeremy Hmura,
Rush), 7:08; FSC: Thomas McAleer (Billy Pescosolido), 9:57; CUR:
Sean Sylvester, 19:56
Third Period: none
Goaltending: FSC: Bobby Leiser (59:39), 34 saves;
CUR: Zachary Gardella (60:00), 33 saves
Shots On Goal: FSC: 35; CUR: 37
Stars:
1st Star - Sean Sylvester - CUR
2nd Star - Jarrett Rush - CUR
3rd Star - Bobby Leiser - FSC
