RUTLAND, Vt. (November 27, 2021) -- A goal in the middle of the third period would stand as the difference on Saturday afternoon as Castleton took the title in its own home tournament, by chalking up a 3-1 win over the Franklin Pierce University men's ice hockey team at Spartan Arena. Junior Conor Foley (Nahant, Mass.) scored the lone goal in defeat for the Ravens, in the championship game of the Terry Moran Invitational.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 2-8-0, while Castleton improves to 3-6-1. For the Spartans, who annually host a tournament Thanksgiving weekend, it marked the first time the team kept the trophy for itself since 2017.

At the conclusion of play, Foley and senior Paul Antkowiak (Salem, N.H.) were named to the Moran Invitational All-Tournament Team. Foley had a goal in each of Franklin Pierce's two games, while Antkowiak keyed a defensive effort which helped produce Friday night's shutout.

After a scoreless first, the two teams traded goals in the first two minutes of the middle stanza. Castleton broke the ice 61 seconds into the period, after senior Kyle Kazeroid swooped behind the net, carrying the puck from the left-wing side to the right wing. He fed sophomore Justin Stairs in the middle of the right circle, and Stairs buried his second goal of the season from there.

Franklin Pierce had the answer just 46 seconds later, at the 1:47 mark. Junior Vito Carlo (Las Vegas, Nev.) gained possession in the neutral zone and dumped it deep into the attacking end. Foley was first on the scene, won a brief battle for possession behind the net and stepped out with the puck on the right side. Foley needed a couple hacks at it at the right post, but was eventually able to use brute force to muscle home his third goal of the campaign.

The Spartans turned up the heat in the third period, to the tune of a 14-8 advantage in shots, and were ultimately able to procure the game-winning goal, at 12:07. It was a failed clearance attempt which ended up in the back of the Franklin Pierce net, after a strong individual effort from junior Calvin Moise, who took control on the left-wing half-wall. Moise sliced through the left circle, made his way out front and cashed in a backhand for his first goal of the year.

Castleton later picked up an empty-net goal from senior Anton Tarvainen at 19:23 -- off an assist from senior goaltender Kyle Alaverdy -- to create the 3-1 final.

Graduate student Ian Wallace (West Islip, N.Y.) piled up 35 saves against 37 shots in the Franklin Pierce crease, but was stuck with the loss (0-5-0) anyway. Alaverdy (2-5-0) stopped 27 of 28 shots in the victory for Castleton.