Fitchburg, MA --- Senior John Cahalane (Tewksbury, MA) scored two goals and added an assist to help lead Worcester State to a balanced team effort to defeat Fitchburg State, 6-3, in MASCAC men's ice hockey action this evening at the Wallace Civic Center.

With the win and the loss, both teams now sport identical 8-10-3 records on the season. The Lancers now have a four-point lead for fifth-place in the conference standings (5-8-2) while the Falcons sit in fourth with a 7-6-2 record in league play.

Freshman Brenton Dyok (Rocklin, CA) got the scoring started 27 ticks into the game when he received from help from Cahalane and classmate Tim D'Orazio (Jamison, PA).

Fitchburg State answered and knotted the score on a first-year Carlos DePiazza (Ridgewood, NJ) marker at the 10:36 mark, but the Blue and Gold would end the first stanza with the 2-1 advantage as freshman Nathan Stanley (Boise, ID) registered a power play goal at 14:56.

Both squads scored one goal apiece in the second period in a clean frame that did not see any penalties. First-year Stephen Rock (Tulsa, OK) notched the marker for the Lancers with 7:03 on the clock while Corey Callen (Annadale, NJ) helped the hosts respond and make the score 3-2 exactly 5½ minutes later.

The beginning of the third proved to be the turning point for the Lancers as they would pot two tallies just before the midway mark. Freshman Taylor Laneville (Edmonds, WA) netted the game-winning goal at 4:35 with some help from classmate RJ Byrne (Marlboro, MA) and sophomore Tyson Cox (Boise, ID) before Cahalane gave his team some insurance at 9:18.

After the Falcons got back into the game on a third-year Joseph Caveny (Fitchburg, MA) score with the four on three extra man advantage with 7½ minutes remaining in the contest, WSU fended Fitchburg State off as the games final marker came with the empty net from Cahalane who took a dish up the ice from senior Nick Asterito (Philadelphia, PA) with 1:22 left in the game.

Senior Bryan Kalczynski (Tonawanda, NY) stopped 35 of the 38 shots he saw on the evening while sophomore Randy Wolcott (East Haven, CT) collected 26 saves in the setback for FSU. The hosts held the 38-32 edge in shots on goal in the contest.

With his three points this evening, Cahalane is now just one shy of 75 for his career. In addition, Asterito and D'Orazio both would end the night with two helpers apiece.

Both teams will play again on Saturday at home. Worcester State entertains Framingham State at 6:30 while the Falcons host Assumption at 7 PM.