Auburn, MA --- Fitchburg State sophomore Nick Zaino (Duryea, PA) scored the game-winning goal with 6:01 left in the third period to help the Falcons defeat Worcester State, 2-1, in MASCAC ice hockey action this evening at Horgan Memorial Rink. 

With the victory, Fitchburg State improves to 5-8-2 on the season to take over fourth place in the conference standings (4-4-1 MASCAC) while the Lancers fall to 6-7-2 overall (3-5-1 MASCAC).

WSU started the game's scoring late in the first period as the Lancers took advantage of a Falcons line change.  Worcester State freshman Nathan Stanley (Boise, ID) received a pass from the neutral zone and gained the blue-line on a breakaway as he potted his fourth goal of the season at the 18:49 mark of the opening period.

Freshman Andrew Pierson (Clovis, CA) and senior Nick Asterito (Philadelphia, PA) assisted on Stanley's third goal in as many games.  

After a scoreless second frame, Fitchburg State tied the game at the 1:41 mark of the third period as junior Trevor Lawler (Fitchburg, MA) scored his sixth goal of the season on a five-on-three man advantage with a rocket tying the game at 1-1. Classmate Joseph Caveney (Fitchburg, MA) assisted on the goal.

Zaino's goal came off of a faceoff win by freshman Sean Loebs (Cresskill, NJ) as he fired the one-timer under the pads of Lancers goaltender Bryan Kalczynski (Tonawanda, NY) for his fourth tally of the year. 

Worcester State put the pressure on the Falcons by pulling their goalie for the final 37 seconds of the game and as the final horn sounded the Lancers looked to have tied the game, only to have it waved off by the referee. 

Sophomore net-minder Randy Wolcott (East Haven, CT) was tremendous in net for the Falcons as he made 35 saves for the visitors.  Kalczynski turned aside 31 shots for WSU in the defeat. 

The contest was a relatively clean affair with eight penalties and just 16 penalty minutes. Fitchburg State was 1-for-3 with the extra man advantage netting the game-tying goal as the Lancers were 0-for-3 on power plays.

Both teams' next game will be on the road as they travel to UMass Dartmouth for MASCAC tilts.  Worcester State plays the Corsairs on Thursday at 7:20 PM while the Falcons play on Saturday at 4:30 PM.

Release by Jim Sarkisian – Sports Information Assistant