Siok makes 31 saves

Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. (February 28, 2009) – Five different players recorded two points each on Saturday afternoon to lead sixth-seeded Stonehill to a 5-0 victory over the third-seeded Franklin Pierce University ice hockey team in the quarterfinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships at The Winchendon School Ice Arena. Five different players scored goals for Stonehill. Freshman goaltender Ben Siok (Holden, Mass./St. John’s Shrewsbury) made 31 saves for Franklin Pierce in defeat.

Stonehill scored three times in a dominant first period and never looked back. Sophomore forward Angelo Todesca (Westwood, Mass./Catholic Memorial) scored the only goal the Skyhawks would need just 68 seconds into the contest when he buried a centering feed from the left corner by freshman forward Pat Greene (Weymouth, Mass./Catholic Memorial). Junior forward Zachary Cantin (Saugus, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) also assisted on Todesca’s third of the season. With 5:03 to play in the period, senior forward Frank Amato (West Springfield, Mass./Springfield Cathedral) made it 2-0 with his sixth of the season on a similar play, as senior forward Paul Reissfelder (Plymouth, Mass./Tilton) and Greened collected the assists. With 3:31 to play in the frame, freshman forward Andrew Diozzi (Belmont, Mass./Deerfield) struck for his sixth of the season as well on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle, while junior forward Peter Roundy (Simsbury, Conn./Kimball Union) picked up the lone assist.

After much of the second period went scoreless, Stonehill pushed the lead to 4-0 with a power-play goal with 5:17 to play in the period. Cantin sent a pass to the front of the net from the right corner and senior defenseman Bill Ninteau (Litchfield, N.H./Bishop Guertin) was waiting in the slot to hammer it home. Senior defenseman James Florentino (West Roxbury, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) also picked up an assist on Ninteau’s fifth of the season.

Finally, Stonehill created the 5-0 final with another power-play tally with 2:28 to play in the third period. Florentino scored his seventh of the season on a shot through traffic from the left point, while Roundy and Diozzi recorded the assists.

Sophomore goaltender Mike Manna (Framingham, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) stopped all 24 shots he faced in net for Stonehill to earn the shutout. Siok took the loss for Franklin Pierce despite making 31 saves.

Stonehill finished the game with a 36-24 advantage in shots on goal and went 2-for-6 on the power play. Franklin Pierce did not score in five attempts with the man advantage.

With the win, Stonehill improves to 10-12-1 and will travel to Saint Anselm on Wednesday, March 4 for the semifinal round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships. With the loss, Franklin Pierce concludes its season at 5-18-2.